


Some Have Greatness Thrust Upon Them

by CaptnSlash



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Jackson Stays in Beacon Hills, M/M, Minor Ethan/Danny Mahealani, My version of 3A, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Allison Argent/Scott McCall, Sheriff Stilinski's Name is John, Werewolf Stiles Stilinski, Zeta Werewolf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-07-10 19:33:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 22,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15956036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptnSlash/pseuds/CaptnSlash
Summary: Derek and Scott are poisoned by the alpha pack and Stiles is bitten against his will. He must pull the pack together while they're down their alpha and most experienced beta. On top of that, Stiles learns he's not a regular beta werewolf like he thought he turned into. Eventual Sterek once Derek wakes up.This is my version of Season 3A.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I seem to like re-imagining season 3A. This is another take with that in mind, only Stiles has become a zeta werewolf after being bitten against his will. You can read about them [here](http://teenwolffanon.wikia.com/wiki/Zeta_Werewolves). I made a few changes. For example, zetas are just as strong and fast as alphas (even faster in most instances, though Stiles is new so don't expect him to be at the top of his game). I hope you enjoy the story!

“Doing homework would be more fun than this is, is what I’m saying.”

“No one invited you,” Derek is quick to point out. 

Stiles ignores the implication that he isn’t wanted. “I couldn’t just let you and Scott traipse all over the preserve without backup. Who knows what could happen. You guys might kill each other and we’d never find your bodies.”

“I’m tempted to kill you,” Derek mutters under his breath. Scott glares at him and Stiles is oblivious to the insult without werewolf hearing to tip him off. They continue to move through the preserve in search of any sign of the alpha pack moving in on their territory, but they all know they’re already there. Deaton’s wards had gone off earlier in the day and alerted him to a breach, so Stiles followed Scott out of last period and provided the ride he needed so that he could meet up with Derek. 

Stiles insists on tagging along when things get dangerous, mostly because he knows that the others need someone watching their backs. In hindsight, he would wish that he brought some mountain ash along. 

“Do you smell that?” Derek asks. He comes to a complete stop and holds both arms out horizontally to stop the others from advancing. 

“Is that wolfsbane?” Scott asks under his breath. 

“All I smell is dirt,” Stiles replies. 

“Definitely wolfsbane, but it smells off somehow. There’s also something else that’s being masked. I think it’s one of them. Get Stiles out of here.”

“We’re not leaving you alone,” Scott insists. Derek doesn’t get a chance to respond. 

Kali lowers herself down from the trees above them and her claws immediately dig into the back of Derek and Scott’s shoulders. They are both forced down to their knees as Kali injects a murky liquid into each of their backs with two syringes, one in each clawed hand. Their bodies start to convulse and then they collapse. 

“What did you do to them?” Stiles asks. He runs over and halts when Kali snarls at him. 

“You shouldn’t be out here alone, pet. Run along now.”

“Now without them.”

Stiles knows that she can practically taste his fear right now, but he can’t help the way he feels. His mind, as it happens, is also working on overdrive thanks to the adrenaline. He knows he needs to get one of the empty syringe vials to Deaton. He just hopes that he can figure out a way to get one, stay alive, and get Derek and Scott to safety. 

She starts to turn to them and Stiles throws himself over Derek and Scott’s unconscious bodies. His hand knocks the vials out of her grasp in the process. Her fury makes her see red as her alpha eyes illuminate. She leans in and bites at the closet thing which turns out to be his waist. Stiles somehow manages to knee her in the face and she backs away. The distraction is enough for her to come to her senses and she realizes that she’s made a terrible mistake. 

“No. He’ll kill me for this. This is all your fault!” Her eyes are human again, but they’re filled with anger.

“You’re the one that attacked us, lady.” She growls out her frustration. It’s clear that she doesn’t know how to proceed now that things have taken an unexpected turn. She pivots on her heels and runs away without any thought to the evidence that she left behind.

Stiles can feel the blood oozing out of the wound in his side and when he looks down at it, he can tell that she broke the skin with her fangs. He knows that he’s either going to turn or reject the bite, so he throws himself into action. He has no idea how long they’ve been walking, but the GPS on his cell phone will lead them to the marker that he placed where the Jeep is parked. He grabs both vials and places one in Derek’s jeans pocket and another in his own jacket pocket before he kneels next to them. 

He calls forth whatever strength he has inside of himself and also calls upon the power of his spark to help him. He wills it to happen. He _knows_ his spark will not fail him. That’s how he’s able to stand and simultaneously drag both Derek and Scott behind him by the arms. He just hopes that he can get them to Deaton and that the former Hale emissary will be able to help them.

He refuses to give up. He refuses to let his best friend and their alpha down. He knows that Derek doesn’t like him all that much, but his own feelings for the alpha are a lot more complicated than he intended for them to become. He knew he kind of had a thing for guys, but he’s never had a thing for anyone like the thing he has for Derek Hale. Now all three of them could be dying and Stiles can’t help but wonder if some of it was his fault for being so weak, so human.

He laughs when he remembers that his human weaknesses won’t be a problem anymore.

* * *

Stiles pushes the door of the Beacon Hills Animal Clinic open with one foot. He continues to drag Derek and Scott inside even as his body feels like it’s on the verge of collapsing from the stress and strain he’s putting it through. The site of the bite stings and itches and he knows he must be covered in blood. The adrenaline has worn off and the pain is excessive, but he keeps going.  
Deaton emerges from his office with a book in one hand and a mug of tea in the other. They are promptly set down on the nearest hard surface so that he can rush to Stiles’ side. “What happened?”

“Kali attacked them near where your wards went off. It was obviously a trap just like I told them it would be. She injected them with some kind of wolfsbane, I think. They had a mini seizure and then they just lost consciousness. I grabbed both vials in case you can analyze it or whatever.”

Stiles continues dragging both men into the back of the clinic. Now that he knows they’re safe, he allows himself to slide to the floor between them. “You have to make sure they’re okay.”

“I’ll do everything in my power. How did you get them here by yourself?”

“I either used my spark or I used my new werewolf strength. Take your pick.”

“Your new werewolf strength?”

“I had to piss her off to get the vials. She accidentally bit me when she got angry and then ran off. I’m past the point of rejection so that means I’m gonna turn, right?” He lifts up his shirt and shows the healing wound to Deaton. It’s about ten percent smaller than the initial bite was and the healing is slow-going, but it took him a while to get Scott and Derek to the vehicle on uneven ground. He had to be careful to avoid injuring them further. 

He feels his eyes close and he forces them open. “You need to call everyone and get them here. Chris and Allison too, okay? Everyone needs to stay here where it’s safe. And I need you to get my dad to come. Don’t tell him anything until I wake up though. He needs to…hear it from me.”

“I’ll look after the three of you and make the necessary calls. You’re all in good hands, Stiles.”

“I know. Scott trusts you.”

His eyes close a second time and he loses focus as his awareness fades.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles reunites with his father and he finds out just what he's become.

Stiles balls his hands into fists and he freezes when he feels claws at the ends of his fingers. Some of them pierce his skin and draw blood. He opens his eyes and sits up slowly at first, but the usual dizzy feeling that comes from sitting up too quickly (thank you Adderall side effects) is gone. He looks down at his clawed hands and then concentrates until the claws recede into human fingernails. He looks up and sees a mini chemistry set working on analyzing the remains of whatever kind of wolfsbane was in the vials. 

There’s the smell of something sour in the air and he realizes that it’s coming from the chemicals. His nose and brain feel like they’re working in tandem as they latch on to every new scent and try to identify it.

Derek and Scott are still unconscious, but they’re connected to heart rate monitors and they have IV’s inserted to keep them hydrated. Stiles swings his legs over the table and he notices that his bloody shirt has already been removed. The spot where he was bitten is now completely healed along with a couple of scars he’s collected throughout his life. 

He reaches for one of the shirts on a nearby pile and picks up the shirt that Derek was wearing. One glance to the unconscious alpha tells him that Deaton removed his and Scott’s shirts too, but he’s unsure why it would be necessary. He inhales deeply and his werewolf senses alert him to nuances that he never noticed before as a human being.

He can pick up the usual musk of Derek, but there’s also the combined scent of oak, leather, and orange, not to mention the aroma of Scott where their shirts touched. He puts the shirt on without thinking so that his scent will mix with Derek’s. He walks to his alpha’s unconscious body and he places a hand on the man’s shoulder. “Hurry up and come back to us, Sourwolf. We need you.”

He does the same thing to Scott and calls him back with the promise of an epic video game weekend. He even agrees to let him invite whoever he wants to join them, but Scott doesn’t wake. When he looks up, Melissa is in the doorway and watching him with tears in her eyes. 

“He’s gonna be okay,” Stiles tells her. He knows that it’s little comfort, but he truly believes it to be the truth. 

“Deaton says that they both will be because of you. Thank you, Stiles.” She runs over and hugs him. Stiles hugs her back and easily picks her up by the waist and holds her a few inches off the floor to where her feet can’t touch. She laughs and all the tension he’s been feeling about being turned starts to fade as he sets her back down. 

“You’re as strong as Scott. How are you feeling?”

“I feel the best I’ve ever been. It just sucks that Scott isn’t awake to experience it with me.”

“He will be. I can’t help but notice that you picked up someone else’s shirt. It’s a little big on you, sweetie.”

“It’s a scent thing,” he explains. She nods and then looks at the doorway for a second. “Can you hear him? Your father? He’s been pacing ever since he got here six hours ago.”

Stiles leaves her side and he runs out of the room and into his father’s arms. He ends up tackling his dad and shoving him toward a nearby wall, but Stiles manages to turn the both of them at the last minute so that he absorbs the brunt of the collision. It hurts for half a minute as the bruise forms and then it heals. “Hi dad. Sorry about that. I’m faster and stronger now.”

“I know. Doctor Deaton wouldn’t tell me anything until I promised to have the veterinary board revoke his license for practicing medicine on human beings. Then he sang like a canary.”

“Sorry, Stiles,” Deaton says. “I had to tell him something.”

“It’s okay. I should have known he wouldn’t let you wait until I explained it to him. So werewolves.”

“Yeah,” John nods. “Werewolves. You okay?”

“I’m fine thanks to the perks of being a werewolf. Is everyone safe?”

He looks around the room and he sees Boyd, Erica, and Isaac in the corner and sticking close together. Jackson and Lydia are close by but still a fair distance away. On their other side is Chris and Allison, but they don’t look happy to be there. 

“Thank you all for coming.”

“Why are we here, Stiles? This doesn’t concern us.”

“It does, Mr. Argent. With Scott and Derek temporarily incapacitated and me a newly turned werewolf, they’re going to try to capitalize on our weakness. They’ll try to divide us and get us alone, so we need to stick together. That includes you, too, Dad.”

“Stiles, I have a job to do.”

“This is more important. Let someone else do your job for once. Use a damn sick day if that’s what it takes because I need you all to be here where I can see that you’re safe. If anyone has a problem with that then I will happily introduce you to Deaton’s supply of ketamine and propofol. There’s an empty table in back just waiting for its first customer.”

“He’s a bossy werewolf,” Lydia says, though she’s actually kind of smiling. Stiles smiles back. Jackson just grunts and crosses his arm in front of his chest, but he has the decency to listen. They all do. 

“I’m off until tonight,” John finally relents. “We can re-evaluate then.”

“Thanks, dad.”

“So why don’t you start by filling us in. What happened to Scott and Hale? Why did this woman bite you and turn you into a werewolf?”

Stiles sighs. He walks over to a chair and sits down. He finds that he has perfect recall of the memories so he starts at the beginning and gives them a vivid picture even going so far as to describe the smells that he got off of Kali and the way the energy of the preserve seemed to feed into him and help him carry Derek and Scott to the Jeep. 

When he looks up, all eyes are on him and Deaton is tapping at the desk with his index finger. “Curious. You gave vivid descriptions of scents and yet you weren’t a werewolf at the time. Stiles, can you show me your eyes?”

Sties looks over and he feels like an idiot as he stares at the veterinarian. Deaton smiles. “Your other eyes, if you please.”

Stiles concentrates and he feels the moment his eyes start glowing because his vision shifts at the same time. He tracks onto the smell of wolfsbane and gunpowder coming off of Chris and Allison and he can even sense some of the weapons they have hidden under their clothes. When his vision goes back to normal, he can’t help but stare at the both of them. 

“What?” Allison asks. 

“Did you leave any weapons at your house?”

Both of the Argents shift uncomfortably for a moment with the sheriff in the room, but state law says that they have the right to protect themselves and carry weapons for self-defense. All the guns, Stiles knows, are legally obtained so there wouldn’t be much his father could do if he had an inkling to investigate further. 

“We came prepared for any eventuality,” Chris responds firmly.

“Just remember that we’re not your enemy and everything will be fine. Deaton, why did you want to see my eyes?”

“I have a theory, but I must do some research. I also need to check in on Scott and Derek, so give me about half an hour to do everything I need to do and then I will get back to you.”

“Fair enough. Do you need any help with them?”

“No, but I’m sure many of you are hungry and thirsty. Perhaps a run to the deli down the street is in order? They stay open twenty-four hours.”

Stiles nods and he looks at his father and back at Chris. “Do you two think you can handle that along with my dad? Picking up the refreshments and bringing it back?”

“We can handle it,” Allison promises. “I would normally be annoyed to be talked to like this, Stiles, but it kind of suits you.”

“It does, you know,” Lydia agrees. “Can I come too? I would kill for some sweet tea, but I don’t want to fall into a diabetic coma from one sip. I need to sample their beverage options.”

“Fine, but just you four,” Stiles insists. “We need to keep everyone else here to protect Scott and Derek while they’re incapacitated.”

Allison looks up at her father and then back at Stiles. “I can stay if you want. To make sure they’re okay.”

“Sure. Thank you.”

Chris clearly doesn’t like the idea of leaving Allison behind, so he turns to Stiles. “If anything happens…”

“I get it. The same goes for you if anything happens to either of them.”

Chris hesitates for a moment before he nods. Lydia, Chris, and John all leave through the front door and take Chris’ vehicle. Stiles is pretty sure that Lydia would chew out both of the men if they tried to get her to ride in the back of the cruiser. He distinctly hears Chris tell his father that he’ll fill in what he can and Stiles knows he’s going to need to sit down with his dad and give him a full explanation without the bias that a hunter might possess.

“Alright. Allison, how do you feel about mountain ash? We need a wider perimeter so we’ll know if they’re coming and I’m not able to touch it anymore. The wards are already set, but they’re not foolproof.”

“No problem. Jackson, would you mind coming along and watching my back?” She asks.

“Sure. It’ll give us a chance to catch up.” She smiles at him and they both heard outside.

Stiles takes advantage of the privacy to walk over to the last three betas in the room. “They’re going to be okay,” Stiles promises. “Derek is an alpha so he’s going to be healing a lot faster than Scott, but they’ll both make it through this. I got them here as soon as I could and the vials should help Deaton narrow down the kind of wolfsbane that was used. He’ll figure it out.”

Erica holds both of their hands and then smiles weakly at Stiles. “Can we see them after Deaton is done?”

“I’ll ask. Do you guys need anything?”

“No, we’re good,” Boyd says. It’s both calming and reassuring. 

“Thank you, Stiles. We know you didn’t want this, but those vials might be the only thing that saves their lives,” Isaac acknowledges.

“Nah. They’re too strong to let a little wolfsbane get them down for long. And I’ll be okay once I make it through a couple full moons and training sessions.”

Erica releases the boy’s hands and she runs a finger down the sleeve of the sweater that Stiles is wearing. “It’s Derek’s. It smells like the both of you now.”

Stiles blushes. “Do you think he’ll mind? It was just comforting, his scent.”

“No, he’ll get it.”

Stiles thinks for a minute and then he sits on the floor in front of them. “I need my alpha to tell me what to do. Derek makes mistakes, but his heart is always in the right place and he always knows what needs to be done. I feel pretty useless without him scowling at me like he does.”

Isaac’s eyes go wide. “Oh, my god.”

Stiles looks up at him and frowns. Boyd and Erica turn and face him. “What is it?” Erica questions. 

“Nothing. Just a thought that came to mind is all. It’s not a big deal.”

“You acted like it was a big deal,” Stiles points out. 

“It just surprised me. It kind of makes certain things make sense, but it’s sort of personal and I shouldn’t say.”

“Just spit it out,” Erica insists. 

Isaac shakes his head and Erica growls at him. He looks apologetically at Stiles before it comes flying out of his mouth like a live grenade. “I just realized that Stiles likes Derek. Happy?”

“No, I don’t,” Stiles lies, and for the first time he hears the jump in his heartbeat. So maybe he’s had a few fantasies and dreams about the guy. That doesn’t mean he’s ready to discuss it with others or that Derek would even approve of him having those kinds of thoughts about him. In fact, he’s pretty sure the guy hates him and the feeling….well, he doesn’t hate Derek. Not anymore. He actually kind of…crap. _Crap. Crap. Crap!_

“I like Derek,” he confesses. 

“I could have told you that two months ago,” Boyd reveals. “It was obvious.” Stiles just rests his head in his hands, hopeful that they can move on to a different subject as soon as possible. It’s not that he doesn’t know how he feels. After hiding it for so long, it kind of became second nature to try to hide it from himself, too. The problem isn’t that he likes Derek or cares about him. The problem is that he’s pretty sure that he’s already starting to fall in love with the guy that always keeps him at arm’s length.

Deaton chooses that moment to emerge from the back. He looks at all of them suspiciously for a moment until Stiles stands up. “How are they?”

“Stable. I’ve eliminated a few species of wolfsbane from my list. I have two more tests to perform and they should only take an hour.”

“Can they go see Derek?”

Deaton nods. “Of course. Just be mindful of the monitors and come find me if any of the vapors make you feel dizzy.”

The three of them walk together into the back room. Stiles focuses to turn off his hearing and give them all a little bit of privacy, but he changes his mind in order to make sure no one is sneaking up on them. He walks to the window to check on Allison and Jackson and he’s following her as she lays a ring of mountain ash around the clinic. It just barely goes to the edge of the road, so he makes a mental note to check it once Chris and his father return with Lydia and the food.

“Stiles, do you know what color your eyes are?”

Stiles shakes his head. “They’re not yellow?”

“No, they’re not.”

“Blue then?”

“They’re actually teal. Have you ever come across that in your research?”

Stiles searches his memory and he shakes his head. He can say with absolute certainty that he’s never read any research about a werwolf with teal eyes. He finds that a little bit odd but he dismisses it because he’s a newly turned werewolf. He’s sure his synapses are firing at twice the normal speed and assumes it has to do with changing brain chemistry and whatnot. “I’m sure I haven’t. What does it mean?”

“I suspect that you’re a zeta rather than a beta. Follow me and we can confirm my suspicions.”

“I’ve never even heard of a zeta.”

“They’re a very rare type of werewolf. Most werewolves are either alphas or betas. They both have the potential to become omegas if they lose their pack, but zetas are different. Zetas can never become alphas or omegas. They simply exist as they are.”

“That actually sounds kind of cool. I don’t want to be an alpha or an omega.”

“No, I don’t expect you would. Let me think on which book I need for a moment,” Deaton says as they enter his office. He walks to one of his locked cabinets and he pulls out a book that is wrapped in leather. It looks like a diary and Deaton grunts in triumph as he locates the correct entry. 

“This is one of Kate Argent’s diaries. I payed a pretty penny to get it in my collection so please be careful with it. Here we are. Read starting there.”

Stiles locates the correct paragraph. “ _Zeta werewolves are methodical creatures that specialize in strategy and pack coordination. Because of these and other assets, they are most commonly selected to fulfill the role of the alpha’s left hand. They possess strength, speed, and agility that can rival most alphas as well as a heightened danger sense that is not found in any other species of werewolf. In addition, they also possess a natural immunity to all known forms of wolfsbane, mountain ash, wolf lichen, etc._

“ _They are most commonly identified by their teal eyes. It is unknown what makes a potential werewolf become a zeta, but it is believed to be due to the strong connection between the werewolf and its pack. Care should be taken when confronting a pack with a zeta and extreme measures should be employed at the earliest opportunity for mission success._ I really hate that woman.”

“You are not the only one that feels that way. I’m glad she’s dead, in fact. Anyway, this all but confirms your status and why the others defer to you. I noticed it even when you were human and that, I must say, is quite uncommon. You’ve already taken leadership of the pack now that Scott and Derek are incapacitated. Don’t think of this as taking over. Think of it as a way to help ensure the pack remains stable until Derek can return to his rightful place. You are an ally and an advisor much in the way an emissary is. While the right hand tends to be the enforcer, the left hand is the—”

“Peter,” Stiles interrupts. “Where is Peter?”

He runs out of the office and into the back room where the three betas are standing around Derek. Each of them has a hand on his shoulder and they’re absorbing some of the alpha’s pain, but the veins are more grey than black. “Have any of you been in contact with Peter?”

“No. Why?” Isaac asks. 

“He should have reached out by now. How long has it been since you’ve seen him?”

“He was around last night. He was there when I picked up a book from Derek’s loft,” Erica reveals. “I left before he did.”

Stiles pulls his cell phone out of his pocket and he puts in on speakerphone once he locates the right entry. The call connects but no one speaks. 

“Peter? Are you there?”

“I’m afraid he’s a little busy right now,” a male voice says. It’s most certainly not Peter’s and Stiles recognizes it from one of the attacks at the school. They all just barely managed to leave with their lives thanks to a late basketball practice that had the entire team rushing the court and ending their standoff. The pack stayed for the entire practice just to make sure the alphas weren’t going to ambush them. 

Stiles remembers that Kali called him Ennis.

“Give him back,” Stiles insists. “We don’t really like him, but he’s ours.”

“Deucalion wants to talk to him. We’ll see what happens after that, little pet. Kali told me all about your encounter. You’d be wise to switch sides if you knew what was good for you. Kill the alpha right now and take his place. I’m pretty sure Deucalion will reward you for your initiative.”

Just the idea of harming Derek makes his stomach do flips. 

“I don’t know what kind of pack you’re used to, but we take care of each other. You have an hour to return Peter to us unharmed. If you don’t, I’m coming for you.” Stiles ends the call. He’s thankful that they don’t call back because he doesn’t know if it’s better to answer or let the phone ring. 

“You’ve got some balls, Batman,” Erica tells him. “But in the land of reality, you’re not going to be able to do much against the alpha pack.”

Stiles grins. “Didn’t you hear what Deaton was telling me? I’m a zeta. That makes me stronger and faster. They think I’m just a beta and we can use that, but it won’t be enough. I have no clue where they are or how to find them so we need something to draw them out. Be right back.”

Stiles retreats to the front of the clinic. He steps outside and joins Allison and Jackson. “They have Peter. I’m not saying I like the idea of rescuing him, but he’s Derek’s only surviving relative. I gave them an hour deadline and I really hope they’re not going to pull some mob crap and deliver a piece of him to us. Our dads should be back by then, but I need Jackson to do a favor for me.”

“What do you need?” The former kanima asks exasperatedly. 

“I need you to abduct Ms. Morrell and bring her here. The alphas have one of ours so we need one of theirs. Do you two think you can handle that?”

“One of theirs? What are you talking about, Stiles?” Allison questions. “She’s our guidance counselor.”

Stiles nods once before he pulls out his cell phone and checks the time. They have ten hours until school starts and grabbing her on the way to work will be the perfect opportunity. “She’s been working as their emissary. Don’t hurt her if you can help it, but make sure she knows that we mean business. I’m pretty sure that she’s also Deaton’s sister.”

“Deaton’s not going to like this if that’s true.”

“I’ll explain it to him. We aren’t actually going to hurt her. We just need the alphas to think we want to trade her for Peter.”

“You just said you gave them an hour deadline,” Jackson reminds him. “What makes you think they’re going to ignore you.”

Stiles smirks. “Why would they listen to me? I’m just the newest beta of the Hale pack. The lowest face on the totem pole. We need them to negotiate emissary to emissary from now on. That’s the correct order of things, but we need Morrell for my plan to work. My dad should be able to help provide you cover so you don’t get arrested or anything.”

Allison sighs, but Stiles can see the dangerous glint in her eyes. He knows that she’s onboard. “We can do it, but I’m going to need either Isaac or Erica to act as bait. She’ll know something’s up if she sees me stranded on the side of the road with Jackson. Actually, we need Erica. As a woman, she’ll be more inclined to stop for a teenage girl.”

“You’re brilliant, Ally. Thank you both. Now hurry up and get inside. I don’t like how exposed you are out here.”

“We’re almost done,” she says. 

“Do you think he’s lost his mind?” He hears Jackson ask as he’s headed back inside. 

“He’s the only one that’s making any sense right now,” Allison answers.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks (and hugs) go out to **Yuuchan_Hrabia** for assistance with the Polish at the end of this chapter. Many, many thanks!

Stiles removes the hood and he smiles down at their captive. He sent his father to work so that he can have plausible deniability in case the crap hits the proverbial fan and he gets sent off to the big house for kidnapping. With the history of his restraining order from Jackson already on record, he’s pretty sure the judge would throw the book at him. 

She’s been placed in one of Deaton’s more comfortable chairs in his office and it’s tight, but everyone is crammed in there so they can hear what’s what. Melissa is the only other person absent and she is in the back room watching over her son and Derek.

“Stiles, you’ve changed.”

“In more ways than one. Kali bit me and turned me. Deaton tells us that you’ve been feeding him information so I only have one question for you. Who’s side are you on?”

She pauses only briefly before she answers. “My own. I serve the balance and that is what I wish to maintain. The Hales are the rightful guardians of this land and that extends to all of you as members of the Hale pack. That’s why I sent Braedyn to protect Isaac.”

“That was you?” Isaac asks, shocked by her involvement. “We weren’t able to find her after that day. I just assumed they got her.”

“She fled to Florida and moved on to her next job. It was smart to use Erica to get me to stop my car. Deucalion and the others will know that something has happened to me when I don’t check in and they’ll reach out through proper channels.”

“They won’t just show up here?”

She thinks about it for a moment. “No, they’ll call. It’s too risky coming here now that you’ve already established a camp. I sensed the mountain ash as I was driven through, so I know this place is more protected than usual. They will assume that will be the case and be cautious.”

“She’s right,” Chris agrees. “Her strategy is sound. She seems to be telling the truth.” Stiles already knows that because he’s been listening to her heartbeat, but he knows that if anyone could lie to a werewolf and get away with it, it would be her or her brother.

Deaton clears his throat to gather everyone’s attention. “I’ve managed to narrow down the specific type of wolfsbane that is inhibiting Derek and Scott’s werewolf abilities and keeping them comatose. It’s spotted aconite, a hybrid strain that was developed in Madrid in the eighties. It’s almost always fatal, so it’s a good thing that I had charcoal tablets on hand to help counteract the affects once Stiles brought them in. The problem is that I need more of the same strain to create an anti-toxin.”

Ms Morrell smiles. “It pays to plan ahead, Alan. Mother always said to be prepared for every eventuality. Check my purse. There’s a false lining at the bottom, but be careful of the contents.”

Isaac passes the bag to Allison and she rolls her eyes as she opens the hidden compartment. She pulls out a dozen paper envelopes, each of them labeled with the name of a specific strain of wolfsbane. 

Ms. Morrell looks at Stiles as she speaks. “It’s time for the alpha pack to fall. I only wish I could have been in a better position to help the last few packs they decimated. Kali was a good alpha at one time, if a little brash. She cared about her emissary and her betas before she murdered each and every one of them. Deucalion corrupted all of the others and they need to be stopped. How long will it take you to create the anti-toxin?”

“No longer than an hour. I suspect the alphas will reach out to us by then. I’m afraid it’s a waiting game on both fronts.”

“Yeah, but there’s still plenty to do.” Stiles turns to Chris. “I need you to teach me how to fight as quickly as possible.”

“Stiles, proper training takes months if not years.”

“I’m a zeta,” Stiles reveals, knowing that he just gave away a major secret if Ms. Morrell were to double cross them. “I just need a crash course in the basics in case things get physical at the exchange. I’m hoping Derek and Scott will be back on their feet by then, but I’m not counting on it. I need to know how to go toe to toe with an alpha and survive the experience.”

“You’re a zeta?” Ms. Morrell asks. “I’m truly impressed. I knew you were special and had inordinate potential because of your spark, but I didn’t know you were capable of becoming a zeta. It’s an honor.”

“Um. Thank you?”

She laughs at him. “Zetas are rare, Stiles. You connection to your pack has helped to elevate you to this position. It isn’t to be taken lightly.”

“I won’t do that,” he promises.

“Good. Now can someone please let me loose?”

Allison starts to move but Stiles stops her. “Sorry. Deaton has wards all over the clinic to keep the alphas from overhearing what we say, but they can still look through a window. They’ll get suspicious if they see you walking around freely.”

She nods. “Yes, I suppose you’re right. In that case would one of you mind getting me a bottle of water? I’m a little thirsty.” Allison volunteers to get it.

“Stiles, I’m curious,” Deaton starts. “How did you know that she was working with the alphas? We kept that secret closely guarded.”

Stiles thinks back to his counseling sessions. “She counseled me a couple of times during the kanima incident. Things were pretty bad and she always seemed to know what was going on with me. Plus, she showed up exactly three months before the alphas did and I’m talking to the day. My brain told me that it wasn’t a coincidence.”

“Very astute,” Deaton agrees. “I think you are exactly what the Hale pack needs.”

* * *

 

They don’t have to wait long for the alphas to make contact. Stiles answers on the fourth ring. “Stiles speaking. If you’re a douchbag alpha causing problems for no reason, please press one. If you’re—.”

“Clever. I wonder if you will be as clever when I rip your tongue out of your mouth.”

“Is that any way to talk to a minor? I’m hanging up now.” He does. The phone rings a moment later and Stiles answers. 

“Stiles speaking. How can I direct your call?”

“Let me speak to the emissary.”

Stiles grins. “Would that be your emissary or ours? You need to be more specific.”

“Let me talk to Deaton or I’ll kill Hale right now.” The man’s tone conveys just how serious he is. He has a slight British accent, but it sounds like he’s been in America a long time since it’s been dulled by American speech patterns.

Stiles hands over the phone and Deaton makes the necessary arrangements. The line goes dead and Stiles takes his phone back once Deaton offers it. “They want to meet outside the public library in twelve hours.”

“There will be a lot of people around,” Isaac informs them. “The library has tutoring every weekend. I used to go just so I could get away from my father.”

“Then we need to be ready,” Allison says. They’re all thinking it, but Stiles finds that it feels better coming from someone else. It means the weight isn’t squarely on his shoulders.

“Derek and Scott may not be at full strength or even awake by then,” Deaton notes. “You might want to develop a plan without them. If you’ll all excuse me, I’ll head back and check on the anti-toxin.”

Stiles watches him go and he follows him to the back leaving everyone else up front. He stops and puts a hand on Scott’s shoulder before he walks a few feet and does the same to Derek. “You’re missing all the fun, Sourwolf. You better not die on me. I’ll have Lydia bring you back to life and kill you all over again if you try it. If anyone can figure out how to make it happen, it will be the two of us.”

Stiles runs his hand through Derek’s hair. He can’t help but notice how peaceful the guy looks even though he’s practically sleeping his life away. He can’t believe how much he misses Derek’s scowl and the way he’s always telling him to shut up. It turns out that there is more truth to what Isaac said than he realized because looking at Derek, Stiles can’t help but feel like his entire world would fall apart if Derek left him. 

He feels odd touching Derek without his permission so he pulls his hand back. He’s not oblivious to the fact that his father is watching him from the doorway either. Stiles may not be a good werewolf yet, but he can scent the emotions his dad is giving off. _Sadness. Concern. Worry._

“Please let me know if they start to wake up. I’m gonna go train with Chris.”

“I will, though I’m sure you’ll hear them.”

“Right.”

Stiles walks to his father and the man pulls his son in for a hug. “They’ll both be okay, kid. They’re fighters just like everyone else in this place. Stilinskis don’t give up and we don’t like bullies. Right?”

“ _Wiesz, że jest._ ” (“You know it is.”)

John smiles at his son. “ _Kochasz go?_ ” (“You love him?”)

Tears begin to well up in his eyes. “ _Myślę, że tak. Nie miałem takiego zamiaru. Tak się po prostu stało._ ” (“I think I do. I didn’t mean to. It just happened that way.”)

John hugs his son a second time. “ _Więc walcz dla niego, Mieczysławie. Resztę rozwiążemy później. Jestem dumny z mężczyzny, którym się stajesz i nic tego nie zmieni._ ” (“Then fight for him, Mieczyslaw. We’ll figure out the rest later. I am so proud of the man you’re becoming and nothing will ever change that.”)

Stiles continues to hug his father until he feels like he’s going to squeeze the life out of the man. He runs his hand over the back of his dad’s neck to scent mark him and then walks away. “ _Dzięki tato._ ” (“Thanks, dad.”)

John nods and Stiles retreats. “Anytime, kid,” he adds, knowing that his son will hear him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used Google Translate, so I accept that these translations are probably not all that accurate. Forgive me if Polish is a language that you speak. I’m open to any corrections you would care to provide.
> 
> I went ahead and added the English translations in parentheses so you didn't have to search elsewhere to locate them. Let me know if this bugs you and I can put them in a separate section below the chapter text. 
> 
> Also, Stiles is a spark in this, but it's kind of in the background from this point forward. That's why I didn't put it in the tags.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone wakes up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention that I didn't have a beta reader to look any of this over, so feel free to point out any mistakes that you see. Constructive criticism is always welcome. I know I've got a few plot holes flailing about, but I will endeavor to tie them up by the end of the story so everything makes sense.

Stiles is asleep and dreaming that he’s floating in a big lake. The only problem is that he’s stuck and unable to go anywhere. He can hear Derek howling to him, calling his name, but he’s trapped even though he tries swimming and goes no where. 

Someone shakes him awake and he opens his eyes. “What’s wrong? Are they attacking?”

John smiles down at his son. Stiles looks over his shoulder and does a quick count of all the sleeping bags and blankets on the floor. He can hear the heartbeats and he knows that everyone is accounted for. 

That’s when he hears Derek’s voice. His alpha asks Deaton to explain what happened and where Stiles is. He gets to his feet and he rushes past his father and into the large back room. He hugs Derek without thinking and the alpha starts to struggle until he gives up trying. 

“Just go with it, Sourwolf. I’ve had a rough twenty-four hours.”

Derek grabs him by the shoulder and pushes him back gingerly when it’s clear that Stiles isn’t going to let him go. Stiles is too busy inhaling the man’s scent to feel offended that the physical contact has ended. Derek flashes his eyes and Stiles responds by flashing his own. Derek gasps in surprise, both because of what Stiles has become and because of the odd color of his eyes, and Stiles takes that opportunity to back away from the alpha so that his proximity isn’t viewed as a threat. He instinctively tilts his head to the side, exposing his throat. 

“Stop it. You don’t have to submit to me.”

“I feel like I should. Werewolf instincts.”

Deaton moves from Derek and he goes to check on a still-unconscious Scott. “He should be up in twenty minutes or so. Alphas tend to rebound faster. I’ll give you both some privacy.”

“Tell me what happened. Everything is kind of fuzzy and I’m confused. Your eyes…”

Stiles gets it. He feels exactly the same way. It’s almost like everything that happened is a dream and he’s just coming out of the state between sleep and wakefulness. “Tell me about it. Do you remember us walking through the preserve checking Deaton’s wards? You tried to get Scott and I to leave when Kali showed up. She clawed you both in a surprise attack and injected you with a rare strain of wolfsbane. You guys have been out for almost an entire day.”

“She bit you?” The alpha’s tone is harsh and angry, but it isn’t directed at Stiles.

“I wanted to get the vials so that Deaton could analyze whatever she gave you. I threw myself over you guys and knocked the vials out of her hands in a way that made it look accidental. She lost control and bit me. It turns out that I’m a zeta instead of a beta. That explains the teal eyes.”

Derek’s own eyes go wide. “But that means…Stiles, you don’t know how important you are to a pack. Zetas are highly coveted because they’re so rare. The alphas will try to take you for themselves as soon as they figure out what you are.”

Stiles nods. “I know, but we have a plan.”

“We?”

“The betas and Lydia, Deaton and Ms. Morrell, Melissa, my dad, and Chris and Allison. I know how you feel about some of the people I mentioned, but they trying to do the right thing here. We’re teaming up to fight a common enemy and we can deal with our other issues later on. Allison risked her life to stay behind and make sure you and Scott were safe, not to mention the rest of us. They deserve a chance, I think.”

“Then they’ll get it. Wait, did you say your dad?”

Stiles nods his head. “Another long story. We haven’t really had time to play twenty questions, but he knows the basics.”

“So you’re a werewolf and your father knows about werewolves. That’s a lot to miss. How is Scott?”

“You heard Deaton,” Stiles answers. “He should be back to his normal self soon. I’d write something obscene on his face with a permanent marker if I was a lesser person. We should probably wait for him to wake up before we talk strategy. I’m really glad you’re okay, Derek.”

“What about you? Are you okay? You seem like you finally fit into your skin. You’re not jittery and babbling anymore, but I know you didn’t want this.”

Stiles kind of misses his ADHD, but his new photographic memory more than makes up for it. “The lack of ADHD is weird, but I’m adapting. Chris gave me a crash course in self defense and Boyd and Erica have been sparring with me in case this comes down to a fight. I managed to tackle Erica, but I’m convinced she was distracted at the time. Boyd was busy drinking from a water bottle so…you know—”

“Lies,” Erica says from the doorway. “Can the rest of us come in and see our alpha now?”

Stiles shoots her an apologetic smile before he backs away from Derek. “Be my guest. I’m gonna go visit with Ms. Morrell and see if she thought of anything else she needs to tell us.”

“Ms. Morrell? Do I know her?” Derek asks. 

“She’s our guidance counselor at school. She’s also been working as the alpha pack’s emissary, but she’s Deaton’s sister and on our side. She’s the one that sent that girl to help protect Isaac.”

“I trust your judgement,” Derek says to Stiles. “Just be cautious.”

“You got it, Sourwolf.” Stiles leaves the room and goes past Isaac and Boyd on their way in. He purposefully avoids making eye contact with them because he feels so awkward whenever he’s around Derek. 

He enters Deaton’s office and finds the brother and sister talking about the weaknesses of each of the alphas. 

“The twins are the newest additions and they’re the ones I’m least familiar with. All I know about them is that their former alpha was physically abusive and they’ve had a hard life,” she explains.

Stiles thinks about it for a second. “Do you think we can turn them?”

Morrell shrugs her shoulders even though her wrists are still bound to the chair. “It would be a risk. I honestly wouldn’t trust any of them, but it’s something for Alpha Hale and the rest of you to consider. I honestly don’t know how they would react to it, but Ethan is more squeamish about unnecessary killing. Still, I can’t imagine the twins will go separate ways. If one joins you then the other will likely follow, but that could prove to be a deadly mistake if Aiden tries to usurp Derek’s role as leader of the pack.”

“Anything else that you forgot to mention? What about Deucalion’s weaknesses?”

“He’s blind until he uses his werewolf eyes to see. He calls himself the demon wolf because he’s so powerful. He will be a challenge to defeat. My advice is to have the Argents take him out from afar while he’s distracted. It’s your best chance at a victory.”

Stiles glances at the clock and sees that they have an hour and a half before they have to be at the library. “Jackson, has Danny come through on the plans on the library?”

Jackson responds from the other room. “I have it. There’s something else you should know. I was sworn to secrecy, but it might be important.” Stiles excuses himself and walks to the printer at the front desk that Jackson and Lydia are standing by. It’s printing off pieces of paper that can be combined together to make a large map of the library and the surrounding buildings.

“What is it?”

“I heard what you guys were talking about in there. Ethan, one of the twins, has been secretly dating Danny.”

“What? Since when? Is Danny okay?”

“Danny is fine,” Jackson reassures him. “They met at Jungle and kind of hit it off. He was probably sent there by the alphas to see if Danny knows about werewolves. He doesn’t, so he should be safe since he’s not a part of the pack. He talks like it’s kind of serious so I thought you should know.”

“Thanks. Maybe we can use it to our advantage. Hopefully we’ll all survive this.”

He notices the look on Lydia’s face. “What is it?” He asks her. 

“What you said about all of us surviving this. I’ve just got this weird feeling that it won’t be the case.”

Stiles meets her eyes. “It’s me. Isn’t it?”

She nods her head. He hears the footsteps coming from the back room and they get louder as they get closer. “You’re not going,” Derek decrees. Stiles turns around and looks at him. 

“Derek, I have to go. My dad is going to be there in his official capacity as sheriff and I’m not letting any of you go without me. You know it’s stupid to try to talk me out of going. Lydia gets these feelings sometimes, but they don’t always pan out.”

“You should listen to her,” Ms. Morrell says. Her hands are free and she walks into the lobby with her brother behind her. “She’s tuned into the frequency of death. As a banshee, she can sense it.”

“A banshee?” Lydia asks. “That’s what I am?”

Ms. Morrell nods with a surprised look on her face. She turns to her brother. “You didn’t fill them in? Alan, you’ve got to stop holding everything so close to your chest. They need to know and she deserves the truth.”

Deaton sighs. He looks at Lydia and places his hands on his hips. “Your grandmother was a banshee. Our paths crossed a few times and we were civil, but she didn’t have much use for me for whatever reason. She was a brilliant woman and you are a lot like her. You are also a banshee. I’ll loan you a few books that will explain everything, but there’s nothing in them that can help you in the upcoming confrontation. If there were, I would have mentioned it.”

Lydia purses her lips and her own hands rest on her hips. “You could have told me this months ago after Peter first bit me.”

“I could have, but knowledge is power in my experience. Forgive me if I’m not always forthcoming. I will endeavor to change that. As the Hale pack’s future emissary, the two of us will be working closely together and you’ll need to be able to trust me as much as I need to be able to trust you.”

Lydia’s mouth is hanging open by that revelation. Stiles feels a slight twinge of jealousy since he always thought of himself as being the pack’s emissary, but now that he’s a werwolf it is clear that things have changed. He may still have his spark, but it can’t do what it once could now that he’s been changed into a supernatural being. “Me?” Lydia asks. 

“You’ll make an excellent emissary,” Stiles tells her. “If that’s what you want.”

“We’ll talk about it after the alphas are dealt with,” Derek suggests. They become immediately distracted by Melissa’s gasp. She appears in the doorway with a huge smile on her face. “He’s awake!”

They hear Scott’s footsteps and he appears next to his mother in the doorway. He runs a hand down his face to wake himself up. “I feel like I’ve been hit by a level twenty sleeping potion.”

Stiles runs over to him and hugs him tightly. He releases his best friend when he hears his brother’s bones creak ever so slightly and he backs away. “Sorry. I’m just really glad to see you.”

“I’m glad to see you too, man. What did I miss?”

Stiles fills him in on everything. He mentions Kali’s attack and how he turned into a zeta. He covers the vials and how Deaton managed to figure out an anti-toxin that he could create with his mini chemistry set and how it seems to have been effective. He goes over the meeting with the alphas that they have coming up and then they all start to assemble the maps of the public library on the wall so that they can plan strategy. 

The door to the clinic opens five minutes in and a woman in a mini skirt and tight blouse walks in with a tiny little dog cradled in one arm and an oversized purse in the other one. Everyone turns and looks at her in surprise and Deaton takes the opportunity to show her into the exam room. 

“I guess he really does see animals here,” Stiles says.

They all laugh and some of the tension melts away. 

Chris points to a vantage point by the street. “I’d suggest that I take position here. I can shoot the alpha pack if they get too close to any of you. I won’t be able to take a shot once things turn physical, so I’ll leave my position and join you when that happens.”

“I’ll be there with my ring daggers. They’ve been coated in a special solution to stop a werewolf from healing. It’s an old family recipe.”

Stiles looks at her. “What happens if they get used against any of us by accident? Do you have an antidote?”

She nods. “Of course. The vials are in my purse and I added a few extra before my dad and I came to meet you in case things became tense and I had to use them. For the record, I’m glad I didn’t need them.”

“So are we,” Isaac says sarcastically. Derek shoots him a glare and their own issues get tabled for the time being. 

“Thank you both for your willingness to work with us,” Derek tells them. 

“And thank you all for seeing through our past mistakes and being willing to come to us for help,” Chris responds. 

“We’re stronger together,” Stiles announces to each and every one of them. “Melissa, your shift starts in a few hours. Do you want to go in early or would you rather stay here?”

Melissa thinks upon it for a second before she decides to go to work. She says she’d rather be there in case they need to bring anyone into the emergency room and everyone agrees that it makes sense to have her there and ready. Stiles turns to his father. 

“You’ll be there in your official capacity with wolfsbane bullets.”

“I have them,” he says as he pats the gun in his holster. “Chris was kind enough to give me enough to fill up my gun.”

“And I’ll happily sell you more at a discount,” Argent teases. He is in the business of selling weapons and ammunition to law enforcement agencies. It seems only fitting that the sheriff have a stockpile of ammunition that can counter any threat.

“If it gets bad then I want you to run,” Stiles tells his father. “I’ll hold them off as long as I can.”

“We all will,” Boyd promises.

“I’m staying if you’re staying. Don’t make me get into this again. I’m the sheriff and I’m your father. I’m supposed to protect you, kid.”

Stiles knows it’s a losing battle so he resigns himself to keeping an eye out for his father and doing whatever he can to ensure that he’s safe. He looks to Derek and waits for the alpha to finish planning. “How much time do we have?”

“About ten minutes. It’ll take another ten to make it to the library and about five minutes to get into position for the exchange.”

“What about Deaton?” Scott asks. “Do we go without him?”

“If we have to,” Derek says. “It will be safer for him if he isn’t there. We’re already going to look like hooligans challenging a rival gang.”

John thinks about something. “I’ll call in to dispatch and make something up. That will give us a little cover in case someone reports something and requests a deputy.”

“Thank you,” Derek tells him. John nods once in response.

“I would suggest that I be handcuffed to make it look realistic. Alan already gave me a supply of mountain ash to protect myself with, though I might be forced to use it against the rest of you.”

“That doesn’t sound pleasant,” Boyd states.

Chris smiles. “I have a rubber bullet with your name on it if it comes to that. Sorry, but it will hurt.”

“Do whatever you need to do to survive. I can handle the pain,” she replies.

Stiles takes a moment to look around the room. He looks at all of the faces of the pack, his pack, and he feels both pride and fear for each and every one of them. His eyes come to settle on Derek and he feels all of his emotions swell out like tangible waves that he can actually touch and feel and identify. He’s in love with Derek Hale, he tells himself, and he wouldn’t change his feelings for anything. 

He hopes that they’ll survive long enough to tell him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jackson is kind of OOC in this, but I'm writing this as normal because of what he went through after the whole kanima ordeal. I think that would have changed him and we would have seen it had he stuck around in Beacon Hills. This is my take on who he became.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle begins, but is everything as it seems?

For all of Deucalion’s threats, Peter is in surprisingly good condition when he is presented for the hostage exchange. Chris and the others have already found their positions at the back side of the parking lot, so they don’t have to wait too long for the alphas to arrive. They show up in a black SUV and they park near where they stand in case they need to make a quick exit, Peter being led around by Ennis.

Stiles can scent his father’s nerves along with those of the others, but all of the alphas seem assured and relaxed. Their heartbeats match and Stiles finds only one steady heartbeat coming from his side. Of course it belongs to Derek. It’s like music to his ears, but he forces himself to concentrate.

He growls as soon as he sees Kali. She smiles and pushes Peter out of her way before she winks over at Stiles. She looks confident which is quite different to how Stiles saw her before she turned and ran away from him that night in the preserve. John rests his hand comfortably on the handle of his gun still in its holster and Kali’s smile fades. Deucalion’s white cane clatters against the concrete in front of his feet as he walks to position, his dark sunglasses obscuring the fact that his eyes are glowing alpha red to help him take everything in. 

“You’re looking well, Stiles.”

“Footloose and fancy free,” Stiles replies. He’s being careful not to flash his eyes and reveal himself. The only way he can think to do that is to act jovial rather than fearful. He knows their noses probably tell them otherwise. 

“Good. I must apologize for Kali’s loss of control the other night. I do hope you aren’t holding a grudge.”

“Not at all,” Stiles replies. He hopes his voice isn’t shaking as he does so. “So long as she and the rest of you leave our territory.”

Most of the alphas start to laugh. The only silent ones are the twins. They’re standing side by side and their eyes are firmly on Derek. To his credit, Derek seems to be ignoring them as his eyes are on Deucalion and no one else. “Let's proceed with the trade.” Derek says firmly, keeping to the task at hand.

“Yes,” Deucalion finally says. “In fact, you can have them both.”

Kali pushes Peter forward and the man, to his credit, is cautious as he slowly walks toward them. Ms. Morrell’s face is unreadable and Stiles is starting to suspect a double-cross when Deucalion removes his glasses. “I’m so disappointed, Marin. Did you really think we were unaware of the fact that you were helping this pathetic excuse of a pack? We know all about the woman you sent to protect the beta and how frequently you’ve been meeting with your brother.”

“I’ve never hid where my allegiance lies,” Ms. Morrell tells the alphas. “My priority is nature’s balance and your existence disrupts that balance.”

John tosses the handcuff key to Erica and she removes Ms. Morrell’s cuffs. She walks the keys and the cuffs back to John before returning to Boyd’s side. Peter reunites with his nephew and then stands beside him and a few steps back on his right. As Derek’s proposed right hand, he’s exactly where he’s supposed to be, but something about it doesn’t sit right with Stiles. He refocuses his attention on Deucalion and his other enemies, but he knows he won’t be able to let it go. 

“Now what?” Derek asks. “Will you let us leave?”

“We’ve grown tired of these games,” Deucalion reveals. “Oh, it was fun in the beginning. It’s just that we have big plans for this town. This is your last chance to join us, Derek. Your mother would want this for you.”

Derek smirks. “If you honestly believe that then you didn’t know my mother at all.”

“And the rest of you?” Deucalion asks. “Will any of you step forward and ensure your own survival?” When no one moves, Deucalion looks disappointed. His hand snaps the sunglasses that he’s holding. “What a pity.”

“I think it’s time for you all to move on,” John decrees, his voice elevated and authoritative. “Beacon Hills is already under our protection.”

Kali and Ennis both flash their eyes and Stiles growls low as a warning. He dares them to come for his father because it will end in their deaths even if it requires his own to make it happen. He doesn’t verbalize it, but the look on his face tells them the same thing and their smiles lose a little bit of the emotion behind them as their confidence starts to waver. 

“As tempting an offer as that is sheriff, you should really stay out of this. Human laws are irrelevant when it comes to our kind and you’d do good to take your son home and pretend none of this ever happened.”

Derek looks at Stiles and then back at Deucalion. “So you’ll let Stiles be spared? I wonder what your interest is in him. Is it the fact that he doesn’t back down even to you?”

Deucalion grins. “Not at all, Derek. I want him because he wants you. It’s quite simple.”

Derek’s jaw clenches. “You won’t touch him.”

A couple of cars drive close by through the parking lot and they all try to act relaxed. The werewolves can hear the kid in the back seat of a red SUV ask her mom what the party is about and the woman says that she doesn’t know as she speeds away. 

“Oh? That just makes me want him more. Perhaps we’ll share him.”

“None of you would know what to do with me,” Stiles says nonchalantly, confused why his value suddenly became about sex. “Besides. You’re all a little old and I’m only seventeen.”

“That would give us time to prepare you, boy,” Ennis jokes. His red eyes are staring at him and Stiles ignores it. John’s hand tightens around the handle of his gun but he still manages to keep it holstered. 

“We’re leaving,” Derek announces to everyone’s surprise. 

“No, I don’t think you are. Not yet,” Deucalion responds. He throws his cane through the air like a javelin and it embeds itself in Ms. Morrell’s heart. Her dead body falls to the ground and all hell breaks loose.

Stiles pushes his father behind him as Kali advances in an effort to remedy her mistake. John pulls his weapon and he effortlessly puts a bullet between her eyes before she can even get close. Her body crumples against the pavement and Ennis snarls before he runs for them. John fires a round that embeds itself into Ennis’ shoulder but the man has a wide gait and he’s on them in seconds. Stiles feels his beta shift take over and he swipes a claw at Ennis’ throat. 

Ennis backs away at the last minute but his claws still connect and draw blood. “Holy shit,” Ennis exclaims. “Is he what I think he is?”

The twins are too busy attacking Derek and the rest of his betas to respond, so Deucalion is the only one that notices that he’s no ordinary beta. “Change of plan. Kill all of them except for the zeta. Subdue him and bring him with us.”

“We outnumber you two to one,” Scott says. “How are you going to stop us all?”

Aiden goes down and breathes his last breath at Derek’s hand as his throat is ripped out. Ethan follows and Jackson is relieved that it was Derek that killed them both so that he won’t have to feel bad for killing his best friend’s boyfriend. Derek was smart enough to warn everyone that killing one of the alphas would mean they would become an alpha, so they were all being cautious to keep that from happening. 

Stiles threw himself back from the clawed hand that grabbed for his throat. He deflects it a second time and he reaches for Ennis’ own throat. He gets a good hold and manages to dig his claws in, but Ennis recovers too quickly and he swings both fists down on the top of Stiles’ head. Stiles falls to the concrete as the blows keep coming and he can hear his father holding Allison back even though she’s begging for him to let her help. John fires more rounds into Ennis but he keeps going until John’s gun is empty and Stiles is bloody and unconscious.

Derek is at Ennis’ side in seconds and he fights tooth and claw until Ennis is lying dead among the rest of his compatriots. When he looks up to target Deucalion and finally end the threat, the man is gone. 

“Let’s get these bodies out of here and retreat. What happened to Chris?” Derek asks. 

Allison turns to look over her shoulder and she notices that her father is gone from his perch and nowhere in sight. Peter is also suspiciously missing and it’s clear to everyone that Peter has either fled or betrayed them.

“We’ll find your father,” Derek tells her. “I promise.”

She nods and then runs over to Stiles. She checks his pulse and then moves so that Boyd and Scott can carry him to one of the waiting vehicles so that they can meet back up at the animal clinic. 

A second group loads the bodies into the back of one of the police vans and Isaac and Jackson dump barrels of water, soap, and bleach over the bloody concrete to wash it away and remove evidence of what has been done. The library’s security cameras were already tampered with and thus deactivated so they were safe and hidden. They leave and are thankful that none of the public came out to investigate.

* * *

“I’m sorry about your sister,” Scott says to his boss. Deaton smiles at Scott and hugs him. 

“My sister was a complicated woman, but she took her oath seriously. I don’t doubt that I will see her again in the next life.”

“How’s my son?” John asks. He’s been outside for fifteen minutes making phone calls to let his deputies know about some kids shooting fireworks near the library to cover any final threads that they may have missed with the gunshots. Deaton looks up from Stiles’ unconscious body. Derek is seated in the corner and he looks guilty, but John’s attention is solely on his son. 

“He took some cranial damage, but he’ll heal in an hour or so. Zetas heal faster than most betas and Scott has been helping by taking his pain away. He’s going to be fine, sheriff. He’s quite resilient now.”

“Thank you. I put out an APB on Deucalion, but I would imagine he’s in the wind and as far away as possible.”

Derek shakes his head. “Not with Peter as his ally. I just don’t understand what they want and why Peter would join him.”

“We don’t know he has. Not for sure,” Scott reminds everyone. “All we know is that he was gone and so is Chris.”

“Do you remember what Deucalion said before about a change of plan? He said to ‘kill all of them except the zeta,’” Erica points out.

“Right. But he also said to ‘subdue him and bring him along,’” Boyd remembers. 

Erica nods. “But what if they weren’t talking about Stiles. What if Deucalion was speaking to Peter and telling him to get Chris now that it was clear that we had a zeta on our side. Did you see how long Stiles held up against Ennis, an alpha against a kid that’s been a werewolf for less than two days? They would have known their current plan wasn’t working and changed tactics after Kali fell only they didn’t.”

“So what do they want with my father?” Allison asks. 

“Gerard,” Derek realizes. “They want Gerard.”

“I know where he is,” Allison reveals. “I’m not supposed to, but I snoop occasionally. Stiles has been corrupting me.” She smiles fondly at her friend’s unconscious form and is thankful that he’s going to be okay.

“Then we should go,” Derek announces. “You should stay here with Stiles, Sheriff Stilinski. We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

“Be safe,” John tells them. He takes the empty chair as they all leave through the front door. He runs a hand through his hair, amazed at the previous two day’s events and the new world that has been opened up to him. 

“He cares about your son. He wouldn’t do anything to purposefully harm him, but this is a dangerous life,” Deaton tells him. “Stiles will always be in danger because of what he is. It’s an unfortunate truth.”

“Can you tell me about the Hales?”

“I was their emissary,” Deaton reveals. “A kind of guide, if you will. What would you like to know?”

“Well, they were a pack of werewolves from what I gather. How could something like a fire take them all out?” 

“It was no ordinary fire. It was set by Kate and Gerard Argent. They used the remnants of a rowan tree to surround the house and trap them inside so they couldn’t leave. It’s a wonder Peter managed to survive at all, but he did.”

“And you’re sure he wasn’t in on it?”

“No way. The man we have now is a shell of his former self. He lost his wife and two young children in the fire and he wouldn’t have betrayed them or his sister, Talia. There is a lot you don’t know, but I will endeavor to tell you as much as I can. But first, coffee.”

“That sounds good,” Stiles mumbles. 

John is on his feet and by his side in the blink of an eye. “How do you feel?”

“Killer headache. Guess I’m not dead.”

“You came close,” Deaton reveals. “Another few blows and you wouldn’t have made it.”

Stiles smiles. “Lydia is gonna be pissed that she was wrong. Where is everyone?”

“It looks like Peter has allied himself with Deucalion. They took Chris Argent and we think they’re going after Gerard. The pack went to get Chris back, though I suspect another trap.”

“It’s pretty obvious,” Stiles admits. “Call Scott,” he says to his phone. The voice activation feature kicks in and dials. Scott answers a moment later.

_“Stiles?”_

“Scotty. It’s a trap. Come back and get me.”

_“We can’t take the time to drive back. It’s Allison’s dad.”_

Stiles sighs. “Then you need to protect Derek. Peter blames him for the fire and part of his mission has to be to make Derek pay for it. Watch his back, guys. Promise me.”

_“We promise, Batman_ ,” he hears Erica say. Isaac, Boyd, and Jackson say their own promises.

“Alright. Be safe and call me as soon as you’re on your way back. I’m gonna take a nap now.”

Stiles is terrified that Peter is finally going to gain the upper hand. He hates not being part of the fight, but he knows he’s not exactly in shape to go up against Peter and Deucalion. He says a little prayer and takes a sip of the water that his father gets him. 

Lydia walks into the back and rolls her eyes. “Deaton, that guy keeps calling. I told him you’re out on a call like you said but he’s convinced his corgi is vomiting up her intestines. What do you want me to tell him?”

“Tell him to find a new vet,” Deaton jokes. “I’ll speak to him.” Stiles listens to the two of them go to the front of the clinic and then he tunes out as many sounds as he can and rests his eyes. It isn’t long before his fatigue pulls him back to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to bury the bodies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops. I accidentally uploaded an extra chapter. Oh, well. :D

Stiles is pacing, only he’s faster now. He’s moving so quickly across an eight foot section of floor that parts of him are blurring. John and Deaton watch in amazement as he blurs one direction and then blurs the opposite direction before repeating the cycle. 

“Stiles!” John finally yells. Stiles stops and looks at him. “You’re gonna start a fire if you keep moving like that. They’ll call when they can.”

“But Lydia said she sensed death. What if she was wrong? She said it was close to me but it could be Derek or Scott or any of the others and I’m not there to watch their backs.”

“I still sense death,” Lydia confirms. “Only I don’t think it’s anyone from the pack anymore.”

“You’re supposed to feel this way,” Deaton tells Stiles. “Zetas are protectors as much as nurturers. Try to have a little faith in their abilities. Maybe they went to one location and had to go somewhere else.”

“They would howl if they were in trouble, right?” Lydia asks. 

“That’s right.”

“Then Stiles would probably be able to hear if they needed him,” she rationalizes.

John watches his son closely for a moment and sees that it’s not helping. “If we don’t hear anything in an hour we’ll take the cruiser and go looking for them.”

Stiles nods before changing his mind. “Half an hour?”

“Okay,” John agrees. Stiles walks to the closest chair and sits in it. His injuries from the battle in the library parking lot are completely healed and he used dog shampoo to wash his hair in order to get the blood out. There’s a joke in there somewhere, but he doesn’t think it’s as funny since he would be the butt of it. He’s now wearing one of his own shirts that his father brought him since Derek’s shirt is covered in both of their blood.

“What about your sister’s funeral?” He asks suddenly. “Do you need any help with that?”

Deaton is thoughtful before he nods. “Yes, I think she would appreciate having you join me. If you’re willing we can bury her in the preserve tonight while the pack is burying everyone else. There is a small ritual that I’ll perform, but I have all the necessary supplies.”

“I liked her,” Stiles reveals. 

“She felt the same way about you,” Deaton tells him. “In fact, I think you’re part of what convinced her to feed me information before their arrival. She had an eye for talent.”

Stiles grins at the compliment. “She once said the same thing about me in one of my counseling sessions. It came up somewhere between the Churchill quotes and the Jungian psychobabble.”

Deaton smiles and then excuses himself to make a few phone calls to friends and family. Stiles walks over and sits next to his father. “You okay? This has been a lot for you to deal with.”

“I was scared I was going to lose you,” John confesses. “When those bullets didn’t stop him, I felt so powerless.”

“I’ve felt that way, too.”

“Derek killed him. Whatever his name was. He practically went feral on the guy for hurting you like that.”

Stiles lets that sink in. He doesn’t want to attribute any special feelings to it or make it anything more than an alpha protecting a member of his pack. “I’ll ask Deaton to teach you how to use mountain ash. Maybe in a few days once he’s had some time to grieve.”

Stiles lifts his head when he hears a car approaching. It isn’t out of the ordinary on the road they’re on, but this car is speeding and he can hear Melissa cursing under her breath which is very much out of the ordinary. Stiles runs out of the clinic and waits for her to park. John is by his side at that point, a hand resting on his son’s shoulder. 

“They’re not here yet?” Melissa questions. She grabs a bag of pilfered medical supplies along with her purse and keys before closing the car door. 

“No. Who’s hurt?” Lydia asks.

“Chris. Scott called about twenty minutes ago and said they were bringing him here and that they needed my help. Something about Peter’s claws and Gerard’s gun. They couldn’t bring him to the hospital without them notifying the station, but the phone kept cutting in and out. It was kind of chaotic wherever they were.”

Stiles sighs. He wants to know more, but he also knows they need to be ready. “Let’s get everything set up then.”

He leads them into the back room and he grabs the cleaner to wipe down the metal table in case Chris has any open wounds. Melisa grabs some instrument trays while John goes to inform Deaton about what’s happening. By the time the vehicle arrives ten minutes later, Stiles can hear people talking over each other. Stiles can scent their frayed nerves as easily as he can feel them in the pit of his stomach. 

Boyd and Isaac bring him in and Scott is firmly holding Allison’s hand. She’s crying but being perfectly silent and Stiles knows that is a bad sign. Stiles counts everyone twice and then sees Derek standing by the doorway. Their eyes meet and Stiles allows himself to truly breathe again. 

Melissa cringes as soon as she gets Chris’ shirt off. There are multiple lacerations from claws and two bullet holes in his abdomen. “My grandfather shot him,” Allison spits out. “For no reason!”

“Peter and Gerard are both dead,” Derek reveals. “There was no other way. Deucalion was there, too. We left his body in the trunk of his car.”

“Let me handle that,” John announces. He leads Derek out to the lobby to get more information while Melissa starts to make an incision to remove the bullets. Stiles has a basic knowledge of first aid, so he grabs the antibiotic ointment, water, and gauze and begins cleaning the deep cuts.

“Can one of you come and take his pain? Just a little to take the edge off. We don’t want him waking up while Melissa is digging through his gut.”

Scott is the best at it so he volunteers, though he keeps holding Allison’s hand the entire time. Stiles finds a particularly deep laceration and he looks over to Melissa. “I have one that needs to be sutured. The rest look like they were for torture more than damage.”

“I’ll get to it as soon as I close up here. Apply more gauze to stop any bleeding. Alan, I think we’re going to need some antibiotics.”

“I have Flagyl, Cipro, and Avelox. Any preference?”

She stops and thinks before answering. “Avelox is a bad choice. Let’s go with Cipro.”

“Coming right up.”

Stiles reaches down and he feels for Chris’ pulse when he hears that his heartbeat stutters. He finds the pulse instantly but notices that it’s starting to decrease in strength. “I’m losing his pulse. I’m kind of out of my element at this point.”

“I’ve almost got the bullets. How’s his breathing?”

“Shallow. His heart is kind of sputtering like the Jeep on a cold winter morning.” He imitates the sound as Melissa pulls the first bullet out of the incision using a pair of clamps that she brought with her. She goes back in after the second bullet. 

“It sounds like Bradycardia. How many beats per minute?”

Stiles looks up at the clock and starts counting. “Sixty-four.”

“Tell me when it goes below sixty. We may have to shock him.”

Deaton retrieves the defibrillator as a precaution and places it on the counter behind Stiles. He resumes getting the antibiotics ready. “Allison,” he says to draw her attention, “is your father allergic to any medications?”

“No,” she tells him. “He’s really healthy and he made sure to tell me that he isn’t allergic to anything. Give him whatever he needs.”

Deaton injects the medication into Chris’ vein when he has it loaded into a syringe. He discards it in a sharps container and then cleans up his mess just as Melissa fetches the last bullet and removes it. Stiles takes an instinctive step back because he can smell the wolfsbane coming from it, but he knows that Melissa would never hurt him.

She begins suturing the incision after repairing the internal damage and has Stiles apply antibiotic ointment and gauze over it while she works on the deep laceration caused by Peter’s claws. It’s much easier to deal with and she finishes at the same time Stiles does his part. She removes her bloody gloves and starts cleaning up the mess that she has made. They high-five each other when Stiles reports that his heartbeat is back up to normal.

Allison breaks down and Melissa pushes her son out of the way to hug her. “He’s going to be just fine, sweetie.”

“Thank you. All of you.”

“You would have done the same for us,” Stiles points out.

She nods in the affirmative before her expression goes dark again. “I’m glad they’re dead.”

“Me, too,” Stiles says, but he knows it isn’t as simple for Derek. Scott continues absorbing Chris’ pain until Deaton gives him an injection of pain medicine. Scott tells Allison that he’ll help her get him home. Derek sends the other betas home and stays behind to help deal with the excess of bodies that they have to bury.

* * *

 

Stiles sits down on the floor across from Derek after the clinic has been cleared of the people that have been using it as a safe haven for the past day and a half. Deaton is the only other person in the building and he’s going through his cabinets to locate the supplies he needs for his sister’s burial. 

“I’m sorry about your uncle. I wish I could have met him before the fire.”

“I think you two would have hit it off. The fire changed him too much, but that person is gone now, too. I took precautions to make sure he can’t come back again.”

“I’ll help with the bodies and then I’m going to help Deaton bury Ms. Morrell. If you need to, you can come over to our place and sleep in the guest room.”

Derek looks at him. “You don’t have to take care of me, Stiles.”

“Didn’t you know? That’s my job now.”

“Because you’re my zeta.”

“Because I’m yours,” he says deliberately.

“Stiles—”

“It’s okay. No matter what it is you want to say, I’m okay for right now. We don’t have to talk about it yet. We’ll get around to it at some point. I just wanted you to know that we’re with you and you aren’t alone, okay?”

Derek looks at him with an awareness in his eyes, a sparkle that Stiles has never seen before. “Thanks.”

Deaton emerges from his office and Stiles and Derek head outside. They each drive a vehicle that doesn’t belong to them and they follow Derek to a specific spot deep in the preserve where the betas, against orders, have already started to dig holes with John. Deaton fills the holes containing Peter and each of the alphas with enough wolfsbane to keep them contained and the betas work to fill the holes while Stiles and Deaton walk to the proper burial site for Ms. Morrell. Stiles is cradling her carefully in his arms and breathing through his mouth instead of his nose. 

She’s wrapped in a shimmering white cloth that is smooth to the touch. When they arrive to the correct spot, a secluded area that Deaton announces is perfect because of the ley line that it is connected to, Stiles lowers her body and Deaton unfolds a shovel from his backpack. 

Stiles volunteers to dig but Deaton refuses. “I have to do everything else from this point. It’s part of a sacrifice to honor her memory.”

Stiles understands. He steps off to the side and keeps her body company until Deaton is ready to lower her into the ground. He does get to help with that, but only until she’s in the grave. Deaton directs him to stand back as he starts pouring herbs over her and in a circle around her body. He says some words that Stiles recognizes as Latin and Irish and then Deaton begins covering her with the fresh dirt. The ground shifts at the last minute and fresh grass grows over the dirt mound that wasn’t there before. 

There is a sense of magic and peace in the air and it feels so thick that Stiles thinks the air will quake as he walks through it.

“That was beautiful,” Stiles tells him. 

“Thank you for joining me. Let’s go back so we can put this unfortunate business behind us.”

They walk back in silence. Derek and Stiles’ dad are equally mournful and cognizant of what all the lost lives mean. They didn’t have any other choice, but they were still human beings that deserved respect as they were laid to rest. They got it.

Stiles catches a ride to the clinic with John and he retrieves Roscoe. He follows his dad home and they take turns showering before grabbing a light dinner and heading off to bed.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles has a visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short little chapter, but it's kind of important to the story. Read it, yo.

Stiles usually likes school, but going as a werewolf is abject torture. Between the smells and the sounds, he’s pretty sure that he’d rather live in Scott’s dirty laundry hamper because at least those are smells he’s familiar with. At lunch, Scott and the others help teach him how to tune his senses down since he’s still a new werewolf and has things to learn because knowing things in theory is different from practical application. After school, he heads home and gets an early start on his homework. 

His father is pulling a double since he switched a shift with one of the other deputies to get time away to sit vigil by his unconscious son. That means a movie and pizza session are in his future after his homework is finished, but he gets distracted somewhere between the homework and entertainment segments of his evening. There’s a tap at the window and it slides open, but Stiles already knows that it's Derek. He heard when the werewolf arrived on the block in addition to when he reached the yard and jumped up to let himself in. 

“I haven’t seen you in three days,” Stiles chastises.

“I know. I’ve been sorting through some things,” Derek responds.

“Oh. Well, that’s good.” He can see that Derek doesn’t want to talk about them, so he offers up his bed to the man while he brings up the Domino’s website. “You hungry? I was about to order an entire pizza and eat the whole thing. I can get you one, too.”

“Pepperoni and sausage.”

“Meat for the omnivore. What a surprise,” he says with a smile. He places the order and uses the tracker app that has verbal cues so that he doesn’t have to watch the screen. He makes sure the sound is on at a decent level and then he swings back around to face Derek. 

“Pizza’s been ordered. That means you have to pick the movie. My collection isn’t as good as Allison’s, but I have all the necessary items. Take your pick, but know that I will judge you based on your selection.”

“I would expect nothing less,” Derek tells him.  
Stiles excuses himself to the kitchen to make them some drinks while Derek picks. He carries the drinks to the coffee table and waits for Derek to bring a movie down. Stiles laughs when he sees what Derek has brought with him. 

“You? A horror movie?”

Derek shrugs. “Vampire movies used to cheer me up. Laura bought me a bunch in New York and we’d always watch them together.”

Stiles takes the case and leaves the couch long enough to put the DVD into the DVD player. He sits back down by Derek’s side and turns on the television. “Well, I’m honored that you would trust me with this. Am I supposed to add commentary or watch in silence?”

“Commentary is encouraged,” Derek finally reveals after thinking upon it for a moment. Stiles hears the tracker on his computer upstairs announce that the order went into the oven and he presses play so that the movie can begin. 

They sit in silence for the first ten minutes, then Derek is the first to call out a pretty glaring plot hole. Stiles is next to criticize the special effects and they both complain about the score and how it’s not at all thrill-inducing. 

“Jason Patric is hot though. He’s the one that made this movie so popular.”

“The Coreys made the movie popular,” Derek points out. “And he’s mildly attractive at best. Look at his hair.”

Stiles raises an eyebrow. “Yeah, but it was the eighties. All the guys had hair like that in the eighties.”

“How would you know?” Derek asks. 

“How would _you_ know? Neither one of us was around back then. But to answer your question, there are photos on the internet.”

Derek shakes his head exasperatedly, but they both know that Stiles is correct. They continue watching the movie, but it isn’t long before Derek’s hand reaches for Stiles’. Stiles looks down as Derek interlocks their fingers together. 

“Is this okay?”

“It’s more than okay. Are you sure?”

“That I want you? You don’t know how much.”

“I think I do,” Stiles says. “I’m glad to know it isn’t one sided for once.”

“It’s definitely not. I couldn’t tear my eyes off of you when I was watching you help Melissa the other night. I was mesmerized by how quickly you jumped in and did something while the rest of us were too unsure and afraid to do anything. You’re amazing.”

“Yeah, I have some redeemable qualities,” Stiles teases. “Would you wear your hair like that if I asked you to?”

“Not even if you tried to blackmail me.”

“Good. I like you just as you are, Sourwolf.”

“Liar. You totally want to see me with hair like that.”

“Well, yeah,” Stiles freely admits. “It’s amazing what you can do with a computer program these days.”

“Good luck getting a photo of me.”

Stiles meets his eyes. “Oh, I’m gonna have lots of photos of you, but not ‘til I’m eighteen because that would be kind of illegal. My dad is totally shipping us and he doesn’t even know you. Should I be offended by that or does it mean that he’s just a good judge of character?”

“I talk to him sometimes at the diner where he goes to eat lunch. We’ve put the past behind us and he’s known that we hang out for a while. The deputies told him. Other people can see us when we walk or drive through town, you know. It’s not a secret.”

“What?! And here I thought you were my secret boyfriend. I can’t believe he never asked me about you.”

“I’ll be your boyfriend, but I don’t want it to be a secret.”

Stiles looks at his new boyfriend. “I’d like that. But boyfriends kiss and do other things.”

“Kissing is okay,” Derek admits. “Everything else will have to wait. How soon until you’re eighteen?”

“Four months, give or take a few weeks. Think we can wait that long?”

“I’d wait forever for you.”

“Vampire movies make you sappy, huh?”

“Hurry up and kiss me before the pizza gets here.”

“Yes, sir!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The movie, if you haven't guessed or just don't know, is 'Lost Boys.' It's been ages since I've seen it, so don't take the character's criticisms of the film as my own. It should be seen at least once, I think.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A decision is made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a little flirting in this chapter and Stiles develops a new ability related to his being a zeta. I hope you like.

Derek starts coming over for family dinners after that. The first one is a mess because Derek is so nervous, but the alpha finally gets his act together and stops flashing his eyes every ten minutes by the time dessert is served. Eventually their fourth dinner rolls around and John can see just how serious they are about each other. They are affectionate but still respectful of the house rules. 

“So, Derek,” John begins. Stiles instinctively reaches for Derek’s hand because he knows that tone. “Are you planning on living in that loft forever? I know Stiles is going away to college soon, but it would be nice for him to have a place to come back to. I’m not delusional enough to think that he’ll want to hang out here all the time.”

“You know I love it here with you,” Stiles says. And John does know that. He just wants Derek to start thinking about the future. 

“I’ve been mulling over the idea of rebuilding on my family’s land. I already spoke with a few people and got the land transferred back to me, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to get building permits.”

“Are you going to do it on your own or hire a crew?”

“I plan to do most of the work myself for security purposes. After what happened last time, I would just feel better about it.”

“That’s understandable,” Stiles tells him. “I’ll help too. Just keep me away from the heavy machinery or I’ll start cutting off my own limbs on accident.”

“You think he’s kidding, but you have to watch him closely,” John teases. 

“I know. He’s kind of a mess.”

“A mess you love,” Stiles retorts. He freezes when he realizes what he said and then he freezes a second time for an entirely different reason. He can feel that Derek loves him. “Oh.”

“Stiles?” Derek asks. His alpha can sense something is off. 

“I can feel that you love me. And I can feel that Erica is tired and Boyd is frustrated. Isaac is happy, no…he’s content. Scott is…Scott is in love with Allison, big surprise there. That’s all I’m getting from him.”

Derek rubs his shoulder supportively. “We knew this might happen.”

“Would someone explain it to me, please?”

Derek looks at John. “Zetas have such a deep connection to the members of their pack that they can sense their emotions. It’s not something that’s active all the time. Stiles has to concentrate to get a hit off of them, but it’s there and from what I’ve read, it’s usually a pretty strong connection.”

“How strong?”

“Let’s just say that I don’t know that it’ll stop when he goes away to college. There’s magic involved with being a werewolf, plus Stiles has a spark. There’s no way to tell beforehand.”

Stiles looks over at his boyfriend. “You’ve been talking to Deaton.”

“Yeah. I like to know things when they’re about you.”

Stiles appreciates the fact that Derek talked to Deaton and got an accurate picture of what would happen to him. He sort of chastises himself for not doing the same thing. “Well, at least he’s being more forthcoming now. I think he learned his lesson about that.”

“He did,” Derek agrees.

Stiles continues to sort through the emotions he’s feeling and he looks back at Derek. “When are you planning on telling the Argents that they have pack bonds?” Stiles asks quickly, his tone one of surprise.

Derek frowns and he looks inward to his own senses as an alpha. His eyes widen slightly when he notices that the pack bonds are there. Even more so, they’re stable which means it’s a two-way connection from both parties. Both Chris and Allison, on some level, consider themselves pack. Stiles can feel them as easily as he can feel all the others.

“I didn’t realize until right now,” Derek tells them. “They only stand out when something is wrong so I didn’t think to look. I’ll talk to them about it.”

“We’ll talk to them about it,” Stiles says, and he pats Derek’s knee. “It’s my job to be the welcome wagon. I should bake muffins or cookies at the very least. Or we can send a fruit basket with a note that says “welcome to the dog house.”

Derek shakes his head. “You and your dog jokes.”

“What can I say? I’m bad to the bone.”

Derek smiles and he leans over to kiss his boyfriend. Stiles kisses back and John resumes eating his dinner, happy that his son is happy. 

Derek takes Stiles on a walk through the preserve after their meal. John offers to do the dishes and Stiles accepts just this once.

“Don’t let my dad pressure you into rebuilding the house if you’re not ready. He means well, but he might not be thinking about what it means for you to do something so big.”

“I can handle your father,” Derek tells Stiles. “I know he means well. Besides, he’s right. The loft isn’t as cozy as it should be and I want the pack to feel safe and comfortable. A house will help with that.”

“Okay,” Stiles says. “I just want it to be your decision. And I’m sorry about before.”

“I do love you. I’m not afraid to say it. I was just waiting for the perfect time to say it, so now is as good a time as any. Stiles Stlinski, I love you.”

“I love you, too, Derek Hale,” Stiles replies. They kiss and it isn’t long before one of them is getting thrown against a nearby tree for a makeout session. This time it’s Derek because Stiles has decreed that turnabout is fair play after all the doors and walls Derek shoved him against after they first met. 

“I love you so much,” Stiles reiterates. “And I know that you’re it for me. You’re the only guy I want to be with.”

“Even when I’m old and grey?”

“Especially then. Grey is gonna look hot on you, Sourwolf.”

Derek laughs and he shoves his nose in Stile’s neck and inhales. “You smell so good. You smell like mine.”

“I am yours. Only yours. And you’re mine.”

“Only yours,” Derek promises.

Stiles pulls back and he looks into Derek’s eyes. “Did we just get werewolf married? It kind of feels like we just said our vows.”

Derek laughs at him and he pushes Stiles to the ground. “Do you want to werewolf marry me?”

“So damn much. I want everyone in this town to know you’re mine.”

Derek chuckles at the way Stiles’ fingertips slide underneath his shirt and brush his back. It isn’t long before Stiles shifts into his beta form and Derek responds by doing the same. “You are beautiful.”

“You’re not so bad yourself, big guy. It turns out I was right to call you that, huh?”

Derek laughs into Stiles’ shoulder and his shift recedes. “We really need to have sex soon.”

Stiles grins. “Anytime. I’m pretty sure my dad adores you at this point so it’s not like you’re gonna get arrested.”

“Rules are rules. We both agreed.”

“Rules were made to be broken. Remember who you’re talking to.”

“You’re incorrigible.”

“You love that about me.”

“I really do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry my chapters are so dialogue-heavy. I grew up watching "Dawson's Creek" and blame the writers for making me think all people are that loquacious.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An impromptu pack meeting leads to some important discussions. Also, Stiles and Derek go on their first date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to make this chapter fun since the last few were kind of heavy with the drama and the violence and the grief. We're getting close to the end.

Stiles likes to run now that he’s able to go more than ten minutes without feeling like he’s going to pass out. His favorite place to go is the preserve because there are so many new smells and sounds to explore, but he’s always careful to let someone know where he’s going. That’s why it doesn’t come as much of a surprise when Scott shows up while he’s on one of his outings. 

“I feel like we haven’t seen each other in forever, man,” Scott tells him. 

“You mean aside from seeing each other at school every day?”

“Yeah,” Scott grins. “Aside from that. You know what I mean.”

Stiles stops walking and he turns to his best friend. “Scotty, there’s something we need to talk about.”

“That sounds serious,” Scott reports. “Is everything okay?”

Stiles smiles. “Everything is perfect. It’s just that I’m really happy and we decided that we didn’t want to keep it secret, so I want you to be the first person I tell. I mean, my dad knows, but he saw the signs from the start. I’m dating someone.”

“You are? That’s great, man. Who is it?” His face is contorted in a look of confusion and Stiles kind of wants to smack him upside the head.

“Derek is my boyfriend,” he announces with glee. 

“Derek? Are you serious?”

“Yes, I’m serious. Why? Do you still not like him?”

Scott is quick to explain. “No, that’s not it. I don’t always agree with his decisions, but we’ve been working together for a while and he forgave me for the whole Gerard thing that I pulled. I guess I’m just surprised that you even like him.”

“You know I’m bi. We talked all about it in the eighth grade. I made flash cards with all the pride flags and I quizzed you.”

“I know,” Scott says. “I guess I just didn’t know you liked Derek that much.”

Stiles holds his hands out and he grabs Scott’s shoulders. “The guy is hot. Why wouldn’t I be into him? Please tell me you’re not gonna be weird about this.”

“I’m not going to be weird about this,” Scott parrots. 

“Good. The way I feel about him kind of snuck up on me, but I know it’s real and I know he’s the only guy that I want to be with. Scott, I know this might be difficult for you to believe, but Derek is my Allison.”

Scott seems to think about that for a moment before his demeanor relaxes. “Okay. Well, I’m happy for you both. I’ll kill him if he hurts you though.”

Stiles laughs. “I dare you to say that to his face.”

“I will,” Scott promises, all fearlessness and swagger. 

“You’re really okay with this? You’re my best friend and he’s my boyfriend. You two have to be able to get along and I don’t want to feel like I’m picking sides all the time.”

Scott looks into his eyes. “He’s my alpha,” Scott acknowledges for the first time. “You don’t need to worry. We’ll work out any issues we have because you’re important to us.”

Stiles likes the way Scott is reassuring him, but he can’t help but worry. Scott and Derek don’t have the best history when it comes to putting their heads together. He knows they can make it happen in life and death situations, but he doesn’t really know how they’re going to interact during peacetime. Stiles feels his phone vibrate and he pulls it out of his pocket. He sees that the message is from Derek and he smiles. Scott looks over his shoulder and groans. 

“Seriously?”

“You’re the one that read my text message. It’s not like he sent a dick pic.”

“Stiles, he sent you a kissy face emoji. That’s so much worse.”

A smile spreads across his face. “Yeah, he did. God, kissing him is like reaching enlightenment. There’s nothing that compares to it, dude. Anyway, he’s calling a pack meeting in a few hours. Wanna go for a run? We can shower at my place before we go over there.”

Scott grins. “As long as you promise not to leave me in the dust. We’re not all as fast as you are.”

“Oh, now _you_ don’t want _me_ to use my werewolf powers. I see how it is.”

“Shut up,” Scott says before he pushes Stiles’ shoulder. The zeta pushes his best friend before he runs along the trail. He’s sure to listen to make sure no one else is around and that there aren’t any threats as he moves. He slows down so that Scott can catch up to him and they run side by side until it’s time for them to head back in the opposite direction where their vehicles are parked.

* * *

 

“What’s so important?” Lydia asks. “I was getting my nails done.”

“We know. We can smell the chemicals,” Jackson says, fanning his girlfriend’s hands away from him. Lydia just shrugs and waits for someone to explain the need for an impromptu pack meeting.

“Please tell me there’s not another threat already,” Stiles says. He doesn’t know if he can take such an occurrence so soon after the alpha pack. 

“You actually already know what this is about,” Derek informs him. “You’re all here because Stiles pointed out something to me the other day. Chris and Allison Argent have pack bonds.”

“To whose pack?” Erica asks, sitting up straight. 

“Ours,” Derek clarifies, though he thinks it was pretty self-explanatory. Stiles would agree if given the opportunity. He watches his boyfriend carefully and forces himself to look at Erica when he senses a shift in her chemo-signals. She was relaxed and happy a moment ago and now he can tell that she’s gone tense in the shoulders, too. 

“No way. That girl is not in our pack after what she did! She shot Boyd and I full of arrows and let her grandfather torture us.”

“She’s sorry about that,” Scott tells everyone. “She was under her grandfather’s influence, but she finally saw the light.”

“You _would_ defend your girlfriend,” Erica replies sharply. 

“It wasn’t that long ago that you all thought I was the kanima and you tried to kill me,” Lydia reminds her. “Maybe I shouldn’t be in this pack. If we’re going to judge Allison by her mistakes, we need to judge everyone with the same scrutiny.”

Erica sighs. Stiles can’t help but smile. Lydia has a way with words and putting people in their place and Erica fell right into her trap. “Fine. We’ve all made some mistakes and we all deserve a second chance. I can see letting Allison in because of Scott, I guess, but her father? He doesn’t even like us.”

“He doesn’t hate us,” Stiles notes. “He changed after his wife’s death and he did let you and Boyd go. Let’s not forget that they both helped us with the alpha pack and with keeping Scott and Derek safe while they were incapacitated. They didn’t have to do that.”

“It sounds like you want them in the pack,” Isaac says. 

Stiles nods once. “I guess I do. They have connections that we’ll never make without them and they might be important, even useful. They have resources that we don’t have access to. Plus, they have skills that the rest of us don’t have. Why wouldn’t we want them in the pack?”

“Because they’re Argents. It’s still a risk,” Derek says. Stiles knows he’s just playing devil’s advocate because of what happened to his family. 

“There’s no guarantee they’ll even want in. Forgive me for saying this, Scott. The truth is that Allison and Scott aren’t together right now and she might want to keep her distance. If nothing else, the bonds means Derek will know when our allies are at risk. We don’t have to offer them full access,” he offers.

“I like that plan,” Isaac announces. “Let’s give them a chance to prove themselves. Like a final test or something. That doesn’t mean we can’t tell them about the pack bonds and let them know we’ve got their backs.”

“I agree,” Scott says. “I think that’s a happy medium.”

“All else in favor.” Everyone raises their hand. “Then it’s settled. Stiles and I will talk to them and let them know.”

“Great. Is that all?”

“No, Lydia, there are a couple of other items on the agenda. Stiles’ empathic abilities have finally kicked in so he can feel what you’re feeling. It requires him to concentrate so he doesn’t know what you’re feeling until he does that, but he thought it was respectful to make you aware. No, Isaac, he can’t read your mind. No, Erica, he can’t tell when you have an orgasm.”

Erica grins a devilish smile and she winks at Stiles. Stiles blushes ever so slightly. “I really need to have sex,” he mutters under his breath. Everyone but Lydia is able to hear him. 

“Moving on. The next thing we need to discuss is Lydia becoming our emissary. With the alpha pack out of the way, we can now determine if this is something that Lydia wants.”

“I’d be happy to take on the position, but it might be wise to consult with Deaton before a final decision is made,” she says. “I’d be happy to take care of that.”

“It sounds like you’re already doing the job,” Stiles points out.

“I will be, that’s true, but I want you all to know that you have a choice and I won’t be offended if you’d rather choose someone with more experience. We all know that Stiles was the top pick before he was turned.”

“I’m cool with it. I was a little jealous at first, but I think you’ll do a wonderful job. And I’m still around if you need backup or extra research help.”

She smiles at him and Stiles realizes that it does absolutely nothing for him. Well, that’s not exactly true. It makes him feel good in a friendly way, but there are no more romantic feelings attached to her. He thinks that’s probably a good thing since he has a boyfriend now.

“The last item that we need to talk about is the fact that I’ve recently started dating someone.”

“Do we know them?” Boyd asks, looking directly at Stiles. 

“Are they hot?” Erica inquires, also looking at Stiles. 

“Yes, I think he is. And yes, Boyd, you do know him. As some of you may have already guessed, he’s sitting in this room with us right now.”

“Scott, you hound dog,” Stiles teases. Scott is quick to defend himself just as Stiles thought he would. Scott catches on after a minute and he flashes his eyes at Stiles. Stiles flashes his teal eyes right back and then Scott looks at Derek. “I’ll make you suffer if you hurt my best friend.”

“Noted.”

“It was pretty obvious even before Deucalion mentioned it that day outside the library,” Lydia explains. “Congratulations to you both. Now, if that will be all, I have a hair appointment in an hour and a half.”

“You’re already beautiful, Lyds. You don’t need it,” Stiles tells her. 

She smiles at him for a second time. “Thank you, Stiles. I should have dated you. It’s a shame you’re taken.”

Derek and Jackson both growl and Stiles and Lydia laugh. Stiles stands up and he walks to his boyfriend. “Good meeting, Sourwolf.”

“You told Scott, huh?”

“Yeah, he showed up while I was out for a run and we talked about how awesomely awesome you are. Oh, and he may have seen the text you sent. He’s a little freaked that you use emojis.”

“Only for you.” Derek leans in and kisses him on the lips. The others whoop and holler for a few seconds until the teasing becomes old and Stiles flashes his eyes at them. They all stop immediately. It causes Stiles to frown. 

“Wait. What was that just now? Why did they stop?”

Derek pulls him close. “You’re the alpha’s mate. It’s a respect thing.”

Stiles shakes his head. “I’m not the alpha and I don’t want to be. You guys don’t have to do that.”

“It’s kind of instinctual, dude,” Scott explains. “I feel like you deserve to be respected.”

“It’s pack hierarchy. Go have fun and be teenagers. I’ve got a boyfriend to woo,” Derek says.

“I like the sound of that,” Stiles admits. He kisses his boyfriend and loses himself in the experience of it. When he finally comes up for air, the others have left and he has no clue how much time has passed. He inhales and exhales through his nose a few times and then follows Derek to the couch. “Hey. How are you doing?”

“I’m doing okay. I have you, don’t I?”

“You definitely do, but I was talking about Peter. You know it’s okay the mourn the person he was before the fire. A part of him did die there.”

“He tried to kill me that night we got Chris,” Derek reveals.

Stiles reaches over and holds his hand. “I know. Isaac told me. I’m sorry he forced you to kill him, but it was self-defense. I would have done the same thing.”

“Scott wouldn’t have. He would have figured out some other way to save him.”

“Scott is an idealist. It just means that he would’ve had even more opportunities to come back and hurt you. Scott is a great guy and a pretty good friend, but he doesn’t always see the big picture. We do.”

“Yes, we do.”

Stiles never liked Peter. The only reason he put up with him was because Peter occasionally knew useful information and he was Derek’s last surviving relative. He would have killed him himself if he knew for sure that the guy had been secretly plotting behind their backs. He can’t help but wonder if Peter had been plotting for a while or if the alphas just took advantage of his need to get revenge.

Either way, it’s clear to him that Derek isn’t ready to talk about Peter. He decides to move the conversation to a new topic.

“You smell like vanilla,” Stiles realizes suddenly. “Have you been baking?”

“I made vanilla cookies,” he reveals. “My mom used to make them and fill the house with that smell. I hope I saved you some.”

Stiles punches his shoulder lightly. “Give me cookies.”

Derek tells them where they are and Stiles rushes to the kitchen to grab the tin from their hiding spot. He returns with them and they both eat three before they decide to save the rest for after dinner. “We’re still going on our date?”

“Of course we are. I was serious about wooing you.”

“It’s our first date in public. We’re gonna start the gossip mill. I should probably warn my dad.”

“You do that. I’ll go take a shower and change my clothes.”

Stiles stands and he kisses his boyfriend one final time until dinner. “I should go home and do the same thing. See you later.”

“I’ll pick you up at eight.”

Stiles heads downstairs to his Jeep. He starts it up and drives home. His father isn’t there, so he sends a warning text about their date and how all the old women are going to be talking about it in a matter of days. John replies with a simple ‘thanks for the warning’ message and Stiles assumes he’s busy working on a case. He picks out an outfit and jumps in the shower.

Derek arrives promptly at eight and he kisses Stiles softly in the doorway before he grabs his boyfriend’s hand. Stiles lets himself be led to the passenger seat and Derek is enough of a sap to open the door and close it for him after he gets inside. Stiles always had suspicions that the guy was a romantic and now he’s seeing confirmation. The restaurant Derek chose is a fried chicken place despite the fact that they’re dressed up enough to go to a nicer restaurant. 

“I thought this place was more your style.”

“I love this place. You know me so well,” Stiles confesses. They go inside and are seated rather quickly even though the waitress eyes them suspiciously because of what they’re wearing. “We’re on a date,” Stiles tells her. She grins and winks at him before disappearing into the back.

Their waitress strolls by in the middle of a discussion about the thing that they most like best about each other. Derek says that he likes Stiles’ ability to talk about anything and Stiles alludes to the fact that his boyfriend has a big heart to go with his big…everything else. The waitress coughs and Stiles blushes so much that his head is the same shade as a tomato. It doesn’t go away until she leaves to put their orders in. 

“You’re going to get me arrested.”

“I cloned all the access cards. I can get in there and break you out before they’d even know you were gone,” he promises. 

“You wouldn’t leave me there to rot away until your eighteenth birthday?”

“Nope. I’d meet you in Mexico and we can get a house on a beach somewhere. Besides, they can’t arrest you if you haven’t done anything illegal. None of the people here know we like to make out on the regular,” he says a little too loudly. A dozen heads turn to look at them and Stiles knows every woman there doesn’t blame him for macking on Derek. 

Derek, to his credit, just laughs at Stiles. “I can’t believe you ordered chicken strips on our date.”

“Chicken strips are good. Besides, you ordered a chicken sandwich. That’s something my grandma would order. Are you old enough to be my granddad or something?”

“I’m twenty-three,” Derek reassures him. 

“I can’t wait to climb you like a tree.”

Derek shifts uncomfortably and Stiles knows why. He’s having the same problem. He can smell the arousal coming from himself and Derek and if they keep it up, it’s going to be like they’re swimming in it. 

“ _Isn’t that the sheriff’s son with the Hale boy?_ ”

“ _I don’t know, Martha. I don’t know everyone in this town like you do._ ”

“ _I’m sure it is. I wonder if his father knows he’s on a date with a much older man. Should we call the authorities?_ ”

“ _Leave them be, Martha. I’m eating my dinner here._ ”

“Do you hear that?” Stiles asks Derek. “Martha thinks you’re a bad influence on me.”

“Little does she know that it’s the other way around.”

“You’ve got that right.” Stiles’ shoeless foot somehow finds its way into Derek’s lap and it seeks out it’s target like a heat-seeking missle. Derek’s eyes lower to the bulge re-forming in his slacks and the way Stiles’ toes are brushing against it. It takes all his self-control to keep from moaning out in pleasure. 

“Stiles…,” Derek warns. His eyes lift to meet his boyfriend’s.

“Do you want me to stop?”

“You know I don’t. It’s just…here?”

Stiles grins mischievously. “If I didn’t think everyone would notice me disappearing, my mouth would be on you right now. I can’t wait until I get to taste you.”

“I’m looking forward to getting you on your hands and knees,” Derek confesses.

“Shit,” Stiles says, and his eyes flash. Thankfully he’s facing away from everyone else and no one notices. Derek, however, sees the waitress is coming to deliver their food and he pushes Stiles’ foot away so that she won’t see what they’ve been up to. As it is, he has to cover his lap with a napkin. Stiles seems to catch the memo just at the right moment because his own napkin settles in his own lap as she gets close enough to risk getting an eyeful. 

“Here we are, guys. One original recipe crispy sandwich with coleslaw and fries and one chicken strip platter with honey mustard, mashed potatoes with gravy, and a side order of curly fries to share. Do you need refills on your waters?”

“We’re good for right now, thanks,” Derek tells her. She smiles and heads off.

“Derek, I’m sorry, but I’m so hungry…”

“Me, too,” Derek laughs. He knows it’s probably for the best that they focus on eating so that they can be on their best behavior in public. “There will be plenty of time for the other stuff when you turn eighteen.”

Stiles groans. “Three months and two hundred and something days. I’m gonna write ‘sex with Derek’ on my calendar.”

“You do that,” Derek says. He takes a bite of his chicken sandwich and lets some of the sauce drip down the sides of his mouth. He uses his index finger to clean it up and he can feel Stiles’ eyes on him as he shoves his finger into his mouth and cleans it off seductively. 

“You bastard. That’s no fair. What am I gonna do? Choke on a chicken strip?”

Derek can see by the look in Stiles’ eyes that he’s actually contemplating it. He knows he wouldn’t be able to handle that sight, so he plays coy. “What? I just had sauce on my face.”

“Prick,” Stiles says, but his smile clearly indicates that he doesn’t really mean it. He goes about eating his own food, but his mind is working double-time to figure out a way to get back at Derek. He finally comes up with the perfect innuendo when his ears track on to a very distinctive sound.   
“ _Beacon Hills Sheriff’s Department._ ”

“ _Yes. My name is Martha Jeffries and I’m at the Chicken Haven on Grandview Avenue. The sheriff’s son is here and there’s an older man eyeing him like he’s about to eat him. I think you need to send the boy’s father here to make sure he’s not being targeted by a sex trafficking ring._ ”

“ _Oh, my. I’ll inform the sheriff, ma’am._ ”

The call ends and Stiles and Derek both break out in laughter. “This is your fault,” Derek tells him. “You started it with your line about the tree.”

“You started it by looking good enough to eat,” Stiles counters. “And who wouldn’t want to climb you like a tree?” He makes sure to raise his voice a little for the question and he can practically feel Martha’s ears bleeding. 

“ _You see, Vince? I was right about that boy. He’s in danger of being abducted by a predator._ ”

“ _Whatever you say, Martha. Now eat your dinner, will ya?_ ”

“You know your dad is gonna show up, right? We should order him some food.” 

Stiles acquiesces and he puts in an order when their waitress does come around to refill their water. Vince and Martha are still there by the time John arrives on the scene almost twenty minutes later. He walks over to their table and looks down at the meal they’re both finishing. 

“Dad,” Stiles says. 

“John,” Derek says. 

“Boys. Mind if I join you on your date? We’ve gotten a complaint and I have to investigate that you’re not a sex trafficker. I’m sure you understand.”

“By all means,” Derek says. Looking over his shoulder, he can see the waitress approaching. “Actually, you have perfect timing.”

The waitress appears in full view of everyone at the table and she places the plate of chicken breast, corn, and mashed potatoes with gravy down in front of the sheriff before producing a set of clean utensils from her apron. “Enjoy, sheriff.”

“Thank you,” he says to her. She turns and walks away. “You ordered me fried chicken?”

“It was Derek’s idea to not let you starve,” Stiles teases. “At least I can be sure you’re not eating red meat for one night this week.”

John claps his son on the back in a paternal gesture before he digs in. He smiled proudly at Derek after he swallows the first bite. “Have I mentioned lately how much I approve of this relationship between the two of you?”

“No, but Stiles was just telling me about his plans for his birthday. Would you care to fill your father in?”

Stiles nods once. “Sure. I mean, he already knows that I’m planning on sexing you up, but I can tell him all about what I’m gonna do to you if you want.”

“I really would,” Derek encourages, calling his boyfriend’s bluff.

John holds up both hands and stops them immediately. “Guys, I’m eating here. Let’s save that talk for when I’m old and wrinkly and won’t remember any of it the next day, okay?”

Stiles raises an eyebrow and Derek mirrors it. They have an entire conversation like that until Stiles resumes eating his final chicken strip. 

“Chicken strips, huh?” John asks. “His mother used to order the same thing. Every single time, too. If there were chicken strips on the menu then that’s what she’d get. It used to drive me crazy until she told me that her father always got the same thing. It was his favorite meal.”

“It’s genetic,” Derek says, though he knows it’s more about the sentimentality behind ordering what their parents would have ordered. It was a way of honoring them and Derek understands that better than most. That’s why he still drives Laura’s car and why he wears his father’s old leather jacket. 

Stiles and Derek share a smile and they eat their meal in relative peace once Martha realizes that Derek isn’t a sex trafficker and that the sheriff knows Derek and approves of him hanging out with his seventeen-year-old son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You gotta love how much John supports and loves his son. He'd do anything for the kid. Anything except listen to his sex plans, that is. ;)


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter is here. Will things end on a peaceful note, or is danger already on the way?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to take a moment to thank all of you for continuing to read this story. You've left kudos and comments and the fun of sharing my stories comes from all of you, so I'm thankful and appreciative of each and every one of you, even those of you that don't like what I've created here.

“You called them first, right?” Derek asks. They’re both out of the car and walking up to the Argent’s front door. 

“Yes, I called and told them we wanted to stop by. Quit your worrying.” He lifts his arm up and rings the doorbell. They both wait, but they can hear the sound of Allison running from the kitchen and into the dining room before she finally makes it to the front door. She opens it up for them and then moves so they can step inside. 

“Hey, guys. Come on in.”

They enter and follow her to the living room where Chris is already waiting. He’s in the middle of reading the newspaper, but he puts it down on the side table so that he can concentrate on his guests. Allison sits down next to her father in an empty recliner. 

“Thanks for letting us drop by,” Derek begins. “We appreciate you giving us a little bit of your time.”

“It’s not a problem. I owe you my life.”

“How are you feeling?” Stiles asks Chris. 

“He’s stubborn,” Allison answers for him. “He insists on walking even though Melissa has told him that he needs to take it easy. She’s been helping me deal with him and Scott and I have been hanging out a lot, so we eat dinner together sometimes. Dad would do everything himself if they weren’t here to wrangle him into his chair.”

“It’s good that you have backup,” Stiles admits. He’s glad to know that Scott and Allison are at least on friendly terms again. “Derek and I wanted to thank both of you for all of your help with the alphas.”

“We didn’t have to do much,” Allison says. “You guys had it handled, but we are glad you thought of us. We both want very much to be allies with your pack.”

“We’d like that, too,” Derek reveals. “In fact, that’s part of the reason we’re here. What do you two know about pack bonds?”

Chris takes it. “They’re an etherial connection between the werewolf members of a pack. Sometimes the alpha can have them with the human members of the pack, too, but it’s not as common as it is with other werewolves or supernatural creatures.”

“That’s pretty accurate. I don’t know how to say this other than to just spit it out. A few days ago, Stiles and I noticed that we have pack bonds with the two of you.”

Allison looks surprised, but not as surprised as Chris looks. “That would mean that we’re essentially part of your pack, right?”

“Sort of,” Stiles clarifies. “The pack had a meeting to discuss our next step in that regard. We think it would be best to cement our role as allies first. You’ve both proven that you’re trustworthy and that we can count on you and we hope we’ve shown you the same.”

“You have. You guys saved my dad’s life. Is this about what I did to Boyd and Erica?”

Derek nods his head a few times. “It is. There are some concerns from some of my betas and the solution we came up with was for us to start as allies. We still need to figure out how to work together long-term. When we’re all ready, you two will be welcomed as full members into the pack if that’s what you both want. If you don’t, that’s okay as well. It’s not something that you’re going to be forced into.”

“Thank you for letting us know. We would be honored to be allies with the Hale pack,” Chris says formally. “I’m thankful for this chance to prove ourselves to you. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, so I hope I can keep Allison from making the same ones by being a good example for her.”

“You already are,” Stiles and Allison say at the same time. They both smile at each other and laugh. 

“You are, dad,” Allison repeats. “You’re an excellent father and you’ve been patient with me and my relationship with Scott. More importantly, you’ve been understanding and forgiving for my letting Gerard turn me against my friends and family. We’ve all made mistakes, so it will be nice to start fresh and work together to keep the town safe.”

“That’s what we’re hoping for, too,” Stiles tells them. Derek reaches over and grabs his hand, but they both are able to relax when it seems that they’re all on the same page with their next step. 

“I was glad to get your phone call,” Allison announces. “There’s something we wanted to discuss with you, too.”

Stiles can’t help but be concerned when he sees the way her smile slips from her face. It’s replaced by a determined look, one he’s started to expect when Allison is confronted with a difficult problem. 

“Now that things have changed and Gerard is dead, we’ve started reconnecting with certain reputable sources in the hunter community, the kind of people that only follow a code. Deucalion apparently made contact with someone less than trustworthy before his death. Word is out that there’s a zeta in Beacon Hills and it’s drawing a lot of attention.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” Derek says. He holds his mate’s hand a little tighter and Stiles squeezes back just as firmly. 

“It’s too early to tell, but it’s likely that it will bring at least some hunters to the area. It could also invite other packs to your territory.”

“Why would other werewolves come?” Stiles asks. He knows the answer as soon as the question is out of his mouth. “To convince me to join their packs.”

“It’s going to make things interesting for a while,” Chris admits. “But it’s not like this town is ever boring. We’ll have your backs the entire time and we’ll pass on any information that comes our way.”

“We’ll do the same,” Derek promises. 

Stiles knows that the pack, his pack, can handle anything that comes their way. With new allies like the Argents, it’s all but confirmed. More importantly, he won’t let anyone harm his alpha or the betas, and he’ll fight to the death if that’s what it takes.

 

_**The End** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until we meet again, my friends.


End file.
